Ingeteam has succeeded in an order to equip what will be the world's largest luxury sailing ships. Specifically, the company will design and manufacture the converters and motors that will propel the two ships that will emulate the famous Orient Express train, enabling more ecological and sustainable navigation via the latest marine technology.
The ships belong to Accor Group under the Orient Express brand, and will be built at French shipyard Chantiers de l'Atlantique. Ingeteam will supply a total of 5 motors and 5 converters for their propulsion systems. Specifically, two motors to drive the main propulsion plus the three transverse thrusters, together with the frequency converters for all of them, which will provide optimum onboard comfort thanks to their low vibration and noise. It will also develop two propulsion remote controls, to enable maximum propulsion management and efficiency with SolidSail technology.
Notably, the converters will include a ground connection to the port so that the vessels can be connected to the shore power grid whilst moored and thereby avoid having to run auxiliary combustion engines to power cruise services, thus helping to reduce nitrogen, sulphur and carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.
The equipment will be manufactured at the company's facilities in the Basque Country where it has several production centres that produce its most technological products for the naval sector, which have equipped over 900 vessels to date.
Orient Express Silenseas will be the world's largest sailing ship and the benchmark ocean liner from an environmental point of view on the ultra-luxury cruise market.
Orient Express Silenseas will depart in 2026 and be fully or significantly powered by the winds depending on weather conditions with a revolutionary technological design developed by Chantiers de lÁtlantique known as SolidSail: three rigid sails with a surface area of 1,500 meters each will be hoisted on a balestron rig, with three tilting masts reaching more than 100 meters high, able to ensure up to 100% of the propulsion in suitable weather conditions. This hybrid propulsion formula will combine wind power with a state-of-the-art engine running on liquefied natural gas(LNG) and plans to use green hydrogen once the technology is approved for ocean passenger ships, launching a new, more environmentally friendly vision of sea travel.
When the cruiser cannot set its sails due to lack of wind, the electric propulsion supplied by Ingeteam will come into operation. Thus, the ship will be able to continue sailing without polluting and maintaining maximum comfort in terms of vibration and noise required by a vessel of such characteristics.
The ship will be 220 metres long with a tonnage of 25400UMS. It will feature 50 suites, - including a monumental 900 square metre Presidential Suite - two swimming pools, two restaurants and a speakeasy bar. The singular cruise ship will celebrate the Art of Travel à la Orient Express: the quintessence of luxury, absolute comfort and dreams.