Photo: Orient Express
Nobody could have predicted that Orient Express, known for its iconic luxury trains, would be the one to operate the world's largest and most luxurious sailing ship. An entire Orient Express sailing fleet is coming up in the near future, and it's bound to be spectacular from all angles, including the technical one.
At the beginning of last month, hospitality giant Accor, which owns the Orient Express brand, announced the name of the first unit in the highly-anticipated Orient Express Silenseas range. OE Corinthian will be the first Orient Express ship built by the Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France.
Designed to operate as sustainable and luxurious cruise ships, the Silenseas vessels claim to be the leaders in this segment size-wise due to their mammoth-like proportions. Each ship will be more than 720-foot-long (220 meters) and equipped with three giant sail masts (each mast is 100-meter/328-foot-tall and each rigid sail will cover an area of 1,500 square meters/16,140 square feet).
These sails are based on the Solid Sail concept developed by the French shipyard, which will also build the vessels. In addition to wind-powered propulsion, the Silenseas ships will use a hybrid engine for an extended range. This is the new dual-fuel engine developed by Wartsila, a world leader in maritime propulsion. The 25DF engine was selected for its compact size, silent operations, and high performance. As a dual-fuel engine, it's compatible with LNG (liquefied natural gas), which will further decrease emission levels during cruising, together with the sail system.
The Norwegian company Brunvoll was selected to provide the propulsion system for future ships. Brunvoll developed the propulsion systems for these ships together with Chantiers de l'Atlantique. Controllable-pitch propellers with a 3.9-meter (12.7 feet) diameter were specifically designed to limit drag while sailing, and they come in a twin-screw configuration with direct electrical drive.
According to the recent agreement between Brunvoll and the shipyard, the Norwegian company will deliver propulsion systems for two vessels, with the option of two more.
The Sileanseas range of sailing cruise ships is meant to operate as sustainably as possible right now and even adapt to greener alternatives in the future (an optimistic view envisions these large vessels running on green hydrogen someday).
In terms of amenities, they'll boast 54 cabins with an average size of 70 square meters (753 square feet), two swimming pools (one of which is a lap pool between two decks), an Amphitheater-Cabaret with a recording studio, and a 550-square meter (6,000 square feet) spa facility. The Presidential Suite will offer an outrageous 1,415 square meters (over 15,000 square feet) of floor space, complete with an oversized private terrace.
The Orient Express Corinthian is expected to kick off its maiden voyage in 2026.
Designed to operate as sustainable and luxurious cruise ships, the Silenseas vessels claim to be the leaders in this segment size-wise due to their mammoth-like proportions. Each ship will be more than 720-foot-long (220 meters) and equipped with three giant sail masts (each mast is 100-meter/328-foot-tall and each rigid sail will cover an area of 1,500 square meters/16,140 square feet).
These sails are based on the Solid Sail concept developed by the French shipyard, which will also build the vessels. In addition to wind-powered propulsion, the Silenseas ships will use a hybrid engine for an extended range. This is the new dual-fuel engine developed by Wartsila, a world leader in maritime propulsion. The 25DF engine was selected for its compact size, silent operations, and high performance. As a dual-fuel engine, it's compatible with LNG (liquefied natural gas), which will further decrease emission levels during cruising, together with the sail system.
The Norwegian company Brunvoll was selected to provide the propulsion system for future ships. Brunvoll developed the propulsion systems for these ships together with Chantiers de l'Atlantique. Controllable-pitch propellers with a 3.9-meter (12.7 feet) diameter were specifically designed to limit drag while sailing, and they come in a twin-screw configuration with direct electrical drive.
According to the recent agreement between Brunvoll and the shipyard, the Norwegian company will deliver propulsion systems for two vessels, with the option of two more.
The Sileanseas range of sailing cruise ships is meant to operate as sustainably as possible right now and even adapt to greener alternatives in the future (an optimistic view envisions these large vessels running on green hydrogen someday).
In terms of amenities, they'll boast 54 cabins with an average size of 70 square meters (753 square feet), two swimming pools (one of which is a lap pool between two decks), an Amphitheater-Cabaret with a recording studio, and a 550-square meter (6,000 square feet) spa facility. The Presidential Suite will offer an outrageous 1,415 square meters (over 15,000 square feet) of floor space, complete with an oversized private terrace.
The Orient Express Corinthian is expected to kick off its maiden voyage in 2026.
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