World’s largest cruise ship aces final sea trials

Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International’s first LNG-powered cruise ship, has finished its final sea trials.

The newbuilding left the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland on October 29. During the week-long sea trials, official tests were carried out.

“For example the ship’s noise, vibration, speed, fin stabilizers, automation and main engine adjustments are tested. During the first test run in June, informal tests and verifications were made that everything works as it should,” Icon project manager Olli Jantunen said.

“We’re getting close to the finish line, and during Icon’s final weeks at the shipyard, the ship will be getting her finishing touches before delivery, when it will be time for Icon to cross the Atlantic for her new home in the Caribbean,” Meyer Turku shared in an update on LinkedIn.

With a length of 365 meters and a width of 50 meters, Icon of the Seas has been described as the world’s largest cruise ship. With a special focus on environmental technologies, it is equipped with fuel cell technology, shore power connections, and waste heat recovery systems to turn waste heat into up to 3MW extra energy. In addition, the vessel has air lubrication of the underwater hull, sending millions of microscopic bubbles along the hull of the ship to reduce friction.

Last month, Icon of the Seas completed the first bunkering of LNG, supplied by Gasum’s LNG bunker vessel Kairos.