SunStone Ships unveils Boundless-class design

The new class of ships follows SunStone Ships’ Infinity class, with the final vessel scheduled to be delivered in 2025. 

SunStone Maritime Group chief executive Niels-Erik Lund told PST the ships will be future proofed so they can be adapted to alternative and new sources of power in the future. An electric grid will enable the shipowner to add fuel cells, solar panels or batteries to the cruise ships. There are four diesel generators, where one can be taken out at a time to create space for fuel cells or battery packs. 

Mr Lund summed up, “We have made them as future proofed as we can but ensured they can still work in today’s market.”

OSK ShipTech is working on the Boundless-class ships for SunStone Ships. OSK ShipTech managing director Anders Ørgård Hansen told Passenger Ship Technology’s webinar Cruise Ships: Navigating the path to net zero emissions the Boundless ships are designed to be prepared for methanol.

“We believe this is the most likely fuel for the Arctic operation where the ships will be deployed. We are fully aware that other operators in other areas have the benefits of other fuels like hydrogen, but for these ships we look at methanol, waste heat recovery and battery-hybrid propulsion.”

He highlighted the “key fundamental” was about keeping as many options as possible open at a later stage. “That means the electric grid is essential for having ships in operation in the future. We used a DC grid to put all the things together on board the ship.” 

A model of the Boundless-class ship was displayed at Bureau Veritas’ stand.