De Hoop hands over eco-friendly expedition cruise ship to Silversea Cruises

Dutch shipyard De Hoop has delivered Silver Origin, an ultra-luxury expedition cruise ship, to Monaco-based cruise line Silversea Cruises.

An intimate ceremony, held in the Rotterdam harbour area on 3 June 2020, marked the first in-person cruise ship delivery since the coronavirus pandemic prompted a global lockdown.

The 5,800 GRT vessel — intended for cruising the Galápagos Islands — was launched in late December 2019. After the recent completion of sea trials, the expedition cruise vessel was officially handed over to its owner last week.

Joined by representatives from De Hoop Shipyard, Silversea’s executives took a tour of the completed ship for the first time and were present for the official flag ceremony.

“It was a very proud moment for me to attend Silver Origin’s official delivery ceremony in person, and to welcome Silversea’s first-ever destination-specific ship to our fleet. I am very grateful to all involved in the build, especially the professionals at De Hoop Shipyard,” Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, Chairman of Silversea Cruises, commented.

“We welcome the beautiful Silver Origin to our fleet as the first ship since the start of our collaboration with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.,” Roberto Martinoli, Silversea’s President & CEO, said.

“It has been extremely rewarding to work on this project, and we are proud for having been able to deliver the ship in spite of the external challenges,” Patrick Janssens, CEO of De Hoop Shipyard, added. 

With a length of 110.01 metres and a width of 18.92 metres, the newbuild can reach a maximum speed of 15 knots. It can accommodate 102 passengers and 87 crew members.

Silver Origin is scheduled to welcome passengers from August 2020.

Built with the environment in mind as one of the most energy-efficient ships in its class, Silver Origin incorporates environmentally low-impact features to comply with future rules and regulations, in addition to the Galapagos National Park Directorate regulations. 

The latest technological innovations mean a 15 per cent reduction in fuel consumption and fewer exhaust emissions, according to the cruise line.

The ship’s dynamic positioning (DP) system will be used when positioned over delicate seabed ecosystems to prevent the anchor from causing damage; suites incorporate freshwater purification systems that convert seawater into drinking water, thus reducing the use of plastic on board; and a wastewater treatment system will meet or exceed the strictest regulations in the market. Moreover, all waste will undergo a rigid segregation procedure on board and will be delivered to a local waste management enterprise for it to be recycled or shipped out of the islands.