Costa Toscana floated out at Meyer Turku shipyard.

Costa Toscana has been designed to be a travelling ‘smart city’ (Image: Costa Cruises)

Costa Toscana is the third of five LNG-powered newbuilds ordered by Costa Group for its subsidiary lines. Two other vessels, Costa Smeralda and AIDAnova have already entered service. They are part of an expansion plan that includes seven new ships to be delivered to Costa Group by 2023, for a total investment of more than €6Bn (US$7.27Bn).

Costa saidthe vessel has been designed to be a travelling ’smart city.’ The use of LNG is expected to eliminate sulphur dioxide emissions and reduce particulate matter into the atmosphere by over 90% while also lowering nitrogen oxide up to 85% and CO₂ emissions by up to 20%.

Desalinisation plants on board will process seawater directly to meet the vessel’s daily water supply requirements, and energy consumption will be reduced to a minimum via an intelligent energy efficiency system. In addition, 100% separate collection and recycling of materials such as plastic, paper, glass and aluminium will be carried out onboard, as part of an integrated approach aimed at supporting circular economy projects.

The vessel’s design was curated by hospitality designer Adam D Tihany who worked with Milanese architects Dordoni Architetti, New York-based Jeffrey Beers International and cruise ship specialist Partner Ship Design in designing different areas of the ship. Costa Toscana features Italian-made furnishings, lighting, fabrics and accessories.

At the heart of the new flagship is the Colosseo – a three-deck-high, midship-located show lounge featuring large LED screens mounted on its walls and dome. The vessel features 2,600 cabins for its occupants and the Sea Terrace cabins offer a verandah with a view of the ocean.

Costa Cruises chief commercial officer and president of Costa Group Asia, Mario Zanetti said “Despite the current challenging scenario, Costa Group is confirming its investment in fleet expansion. We are confident in the recovery of our industry, and we are excited about the arrival of new ships like Costa Toscana, which embodies the elements we want to focus on for the future.”

Meyer Turku chief executive Tim Meyer said “The float-out is always a very special occasion for us shipbuilders, as the ship is finally set to its natural environment. As this is also the start of the final stage of shipbuilding, all the exciting colours, venues and features will start taking their final form. In the coming months it will be finalised at the pier and then tested and commissioned in Q3 for delivery. “

Once interior fittings have been completed, Costa Toscana will make its maiden voyage in Brazil in the 2021-22 cruise season departing Santos on 26 December 2021, with a week-long itinerary visiting Salvador and Ilhéus, before returning to Santos on 2 January 2022.

Brittany Ferries launches first LNG-powered ferry to serve the UK

Salamanca, the newest LNG-powered addition to Brittany Ferries’ fleet took to the water for the first time on 6 January 2021 at China Merchants Jinling shipyard in Weihai, China, where it is under construction.

Thesecond of three E-Flexer-class ships ordered by Brittany Ferries, 42,000-gt Salamanca will join sister ship Galicia which entered service in December 2020. The 215-m vessel will serve a long-distance route connecting the UK with Spain and will carry 1,015 passengers, with over 2.7 km of lane-space to house passenger and freight vehicles.

Salamanca features two Wärtsilä 12V46DF engines generating 13,740 kW each. Electricity production onboard comes with low CO₂ emissions and alternators installed on shaft lines produce energy even at low speeds.

All the E-Flexer vessels have been designed with a view to improving the environmental impact and improving efficiency with particular attention given to fuel-efficient propulsion plants and a long, slender hull and bow design. The underwater hull features a friction-reducing silicon paint coating which further reduces fuel consumption while the propeller and rudder design bring improved manoeuvrability.

Bow thrusters work in harmony with articulated rudders, making it possible to facilitate tight turns in the harbour and the system dispenses with the need for stern thrusters. Fin stabilisers minimise roll and reduce vibration.

The newbuild is part of the ferry operator’s fleet renewal strategy as part of a larger five-year recovery plan. While Brittany Ferries said the investment in new ships was made well before the Covid-19 pandemic began, the strategy is expected to help future-proof services by ensuring the continuity of passenger and freight services with a trio of cleaner, more efficient and comfortable vessels.

President Jean-Marc Roué said “In spite of Brexit and Covid which have cost our company several hundred million euros already, I am resolved to remain on our path towards eco-responsibility and energy transition. It is a formal commitment I’ve made: we will continue, despite these crises, to reduce our carbon footprint, to keep on improving our fleet and to contribute to the development of the regions we serve. Salamanca is a good illustration of this. By renewing our fleet today, we are ensuring a return to growth tomorrow and Brittany Ferries and our partners remain confident in the future.”

The facilities for storing LNG will be supplied by Repsol in Spain. Under the terms of the agreement, the fuel company will build two quayside LNG bunkering terminals in the ports of Santander and Bilbao, including a 1,000-m³ storage tank to ensure uninterrupted supply for Salamanca and a future vessel Santoña.

“Passengers expect more comfortable, cleaner, greener vessels and society rightly demands sustainability as a standard. Shipping companies that fail to improve are therefore destined to fail,” said Brittany Ferries chief executive Christophe Mathieu.

“It’s why these E-Flexer ships are so important as we look to emerge from the current crisis. Galicia, Salamanca and Santoña are clear evidence that we are determined to sail towards a sustainable and a successful future.”

Salamanca will join the above mentioned Galicia in 2022 and the third LNG ferry Santoña will follow in 2023.

Shell Acquires Majority Stake in the Celtic Sea Floating Wind Farm

By Laura Hurst (Bloomberg) —

Royal Dutch Shell Plc agreed to buy a 51% stake in an Irish project to develop a floating wind farm in the Celtic Sea.

Simply Blue Energy’s Kinsale venture will develop the Emerald floating wind farm, with 300 megawatts of capacity initially and the potential to scale up to 1 gigawatt. The companies didn’t disclose the value of the deal.

Shell divested its upstream oil and gas assets in Ireland in 2018, but the new acquisition falls into a growing list of investments in renewable and low-carbon assets designed to help the company achieve climate goals set out last year. Earlier this week, the Anglo-Dutch supermajor bought the U.K.’s largest public electric vehicle charging network, while at the beginning of the month it invested in a waste-to-fuels plant in Canada.

“This project could provide green power to consumers and businesses alike and contribute towards Shell’s ambition to be a net-zero emissions business by 2050, or sooner,” Collin Crooks, Shell vice president for offshore wind, said in a statement.

The project will also help the Irish government meet its climate target of 5 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030, Simply Blue Energy CEO Sam Roch-Perks said.

Shell has been involved in offshore wind since 2000 and has more than 6 gigawatts of wind projects in development, according to its website. Its wind assets are mostly in The Netherlands and the U.S.