Royal Caribbean has begun construction for its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered ship, titled Icon of the Seas. The ship is the first of the line's newest Icon Class, and is expected to debut in the fall of 2023.
To celebrate, the cruise line held a steel-cutting ceremony at Finnish shipyard Meyer Turku, where Richard Fain, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group; Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International; and Tim Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku, were in attendance.
It was also revealed that the Icon of the Seas will be the first of three LNG-powered ships for the cruise line. LNG has become the new standard for eco-friendly cruise line innovation, as it's one of the cleanest marine fuels. LNG reportedly almost completely eliminates the emissions of cruise ships.
“We made our commitment to making clean power at sea a reality – and soon the norm – when Icon Class was first announced in 2016, and we’re excited to see construction underway on what will truly be a ship unlike any other,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International.
“Our decades of work in ocean conservation, energy efficiency and continuous improvement will be evident all throughout Icon. We look forward to revealing more of the game-changing features our guests and crew have in store as she begins to take shape.”
