The 126-guest vessel will be able to connect to shoreside electrical grids on Portugal’s Douro river
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Douro Azul is to take delivery of the world’s first all-electric river cruise ship from Portuguese shipyard West Sea in March 2019.
Mário Ferreira, president and CEO of Mystic Invest and its subsidiary Douro Azul, revealed the news during a conference session at Seatrade Europe in Hamburg, Germany on 6 September.
According to Ferreira, the 126-passenger vessel will carry 40 crew members and has been designed for zero-emission operations on Portugal’s Douro river. The vessel will be able to connect to shoreside electrical grids while berthed at various ports along the river so she can recharge her batteries.
“The improvement in battery technology – toward smaller, less expensive units – has no made the realisation of an electrically driven river vessel possible,” said Ferreira.
Several international partners are involved in the project. Further details about these partners and the new vessel in general will be announced shortly.