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French Hospitality Giant Accor

S.A. has signed a letter of intent with Chantiers de l’Atlantique covering the construction of two very large luxury sailing cruise yachts. The shipbuilder says that “the order will be signed within a few weeks” and that the first ship, the Orient Express Silenseas , will be delivered in March 2026 and the second on September 1, 2027.

With a length of 220 meters, it is claimed the Orient Express Silenseas will be the largest sailing vessel in the world. It will feature 54 suites, measuring on average 70 square meters and including a monumental 1,415-square-meter presidential suite (including a 530-square-meter private terrace). Other amenities will include a marina, two swimming pools including a lap pool, two restaurants, a speakeasy bar and a cabaret bar.

The vessel will feature three of the SolidSail rigid sails developed specifically for large vessels by Chantiers de l’Atlantique. As we reported at the time, the SolidSail received Bureau Veritas Approval in Principle last year.

With a surface area of 1,500 meters each, the SolidSails will be hoisted on balestron rigs on three tilting masts reaching more than 100 meters high. They will provide up to 100% of the vessel’s propulsion power in suitable weather conditions. They are part of a hybrid power solution that will combine wind power with a stateof-the-art engine running on liquefied natural gas (LNG), with plans to use green hydrogen, once the technology is approved for ocean passenger ships.

“With a signed letter of intent to order two ships, Chantiers de l’Atlantique is proud to herald a new era in the shipbuilding industry with Orient Express Silenseas ,” says Laurent Castaing, managing director, Chantiers de l’Atlantique. “This concept, born in our design offices in 2018, is the quintessence of our savoirfaire in the fields of naval architecture, the construction of sophisticated hulls, as well as the design of luxurious spaces. In addition, the installation of three SolidSail rigs, a revolutionary 1,500 square meter per unit wind propulsion system, for which we have developed and tested a first prototype, will contribute significantly to the propulsion of the ship. Combined with a hybrid propulsion system running on liquefied natural gas (LNG), Silenseas will thus become the ship of reference in terms of environmentally friendly operation and design.”

“With Orient Express Silenseas , we are beginning a new chapter in our history, taking the experience and excellence of luxury travel and transposing it onto the world’s most beautiful seas,” says Sébastien Bazin, chairman and CEO of Accor. “This exceptional sailing yacht, with roots in Orient Express’ history, will offer unparalleled service and refined design spaces, reminiscent of the golden age of mythical cruises.”

Accor owns the Orient Express trademark and the Orient Express Silensea is designed as a tribute to both the legendary train and to the equally legendary liner Normandy . Built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in the thirties, it was at that time the largest liner in the world, the most modern, the most luxurious, and the speediest, winning the Blue Riband for the fastest transatlantic liner crossing in 1935. As for the Orient Express train, Accor is working on restoration of the original carriages with plans for a big announcement in 2025.

Chantiers de l’Atlantique has been developing a type of sails suitable for large cruise ships since the launch of the concept ship, Eoseas, in 2009.

MPC Container Ships lines up synthetic MDO supply

OSLO-HEADQUARTERED MPC CONTAINER SHIPS (MPCC) has signed an agreement that will see it take deliveries of synthetic Marine Diesel Oil (MDO) from Karlsruhe, Germany-based INERATEC GmbH, starting in 2024.

The synthetic MDO will be made from biogenic CO2 and renewable hydrogen and INERATEC says that, due to its drop-in compatibility, synthetic MDO can directly replace conventional fossil fuels used today by existing vessels.

Early collaboration between e-fuel providers and offtakers across industries is an important factor for scaling up production volumes and driving decarbonization. With this agreement, MPC Container Ships and INERATEC aim to kickstart the transition towards carbon neutral, synthetic diesel in the shipping sector.

“While there will be a variety of different fuels in the future, the synthetic MDO produced by INERATEC is of particular relevance as it can be used both in conventional combustion engines on our existing vessels and as pilot fuel for our methanol-powered newbuildings,” said Constantin Baack, CEO of MPC Container Ships. “As a key building block of the decarbonization of our industry, we expect that green fuels may come to be included as part of vessel hire, in which case it will be vital for MPCC to have a strong relationship with fuel providers.”

“In order to make a sustainable future with e-fuels possible, INERATEC is acquiring partners all around the world,” says Philipp Engelkamp, CCO of INERATEC. “Following projects that target the production of SAF (sustainable aviation fuel), car fuel and sustainable chemicals we are really happy to partner with MPCC to bring a sustainable product into the shipping industry.”

INERATEC has already started the manufacturing phase for its pioneer plant in Frankfurt, where most of the sustainable fuel will be produced.

After the commissioning phase it will deliver up to 3.5 million liters of SAF, marine diesel and synthetic chemicals to transform industries. From there, the company will lead the ramp-up of e-fuel production at additional sites world-wide.

Founded in 2016, INERATEC is a pioneer in the field of power-to-liquid applications. The company supplies sustainable fuels as well as chemical products.

Modular chemical plants for powerto-X and gas-to-liquid applications use hydrogen from renewable electricity and greenhouse gases such as CO2 to produce e-kerosene, CO2-neutral gasoline, clean diesel or synthetic waxes, methanol, or SNG.

MPC Container Ships ASA is a container tonnage provider focusing on small to mid-size container ships. Its main activity is to own and operate a portfolio of container ships serving intra-regional trade lanes on fixed-rate charters. The company is registered and has its business office in Oslo, Norway.