Meyer Werft, a German shipbuilding company, has commenced the construction work on the Silver Ray cruise ship for Silversea Cruises, following a steel-cutting ceremony in Papenburg, Germany.

Silver Ray, like her under-construction sister ship Silver Nova, is claimed to be among the most eco-friendly and low-emissions cruise ships.

Silversea Cruises’ Nova-class ships feature batteries, fuel cells, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel engines that eliminate emissions while the ships are in port.

The Silver Ray cruise ship is said to surpass the International Maritime Organisations’ energy efficiency design index by 25%.

Jan Meyer — Meyer Werft Managing Director said: “Like Silver Nova, Silver Ray, with her innovative propulsion concept and other significant technical innovations, represents a milestone on the road to carbon-neutral cruising.”

Nova-class ships, for the first time at Silversea, will have a horizontal layout and asymmetrical design, resulting in an open layout of each ship to the water and destinations. The design will allow public spaces and suites to span over the entire length of the ship, said Meyer Werft.

Roberto Martinoli — Silversea Cruises President and CEO said: “We are very proud to have held the steel cutting ceremony for Silver Ray at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, marking an important milestone in the construction of one of the industry’s most environmentally conscious ships.

“The second vessel in our pioneering Nova class, Silver Ray – and her sister ship, Silver Nova – will strengthen our leadership in ultra-luxury cruising, introducing advancements in engineering that support our mission to showcase the world to our guests, and to do so mindfully, respectfully, and in unprecedented comfort.”

Nova-class vessels also feature Micro Auto Gasification System to convert waste on board into thermal energy.

Silver Nova is scheduled to enter service in August 2023 while the Silver Ray cruise ship will enter into service in the summer of 2024.

Founded in 1994, Silversea Cruises is a luxury cruise line headquartered in Monaco.

  Germany, Jan Meyer, Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Roberto Martinoli, Silver Ray ship, Silversea Cruises