The Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku (Turku, Finland) has completed development of a net-zero cruise ship concept under its AVATAR project, achieving a lifecycle carbon footprint reduction of more than 90% relative to a baseline defined by the International Maritime Organization. The results of the project provide a measured basis for ongoing work in sustainable shipbuilding and technology development.
The AVATAR concept was created as part of NEcOLEAP, a 4-year research and development programme co-funded by Business Finland that unites a network of maritime and technology specialists. Within this framework, the ship concept was reviewed by independent third parties and is intended as a reference point for future vessel designs that integrate emissions-reducing measures likely to be available and operable by about 2030. Technologies considered outside the main development track — those still at an early experimental stage — were excluded from the final concept, yet the overall reduction targets were met with a substantial margin.
Central to the design is the minimisation of overall energy consumption across the vessel’s systems. A dynamic simulation model, often described as a digital twin, was employed to assess how different design choices influence the complete energy profile of the ship. Structural streamlining, lightweight materials and enhancements in onboard systems such as air-handling units were identified as contributors to reduced energy demand, with some systems projected to reduce cabin heating and cooling requirements by roughly half compared to conventional layouts.
The vessel concept also incorporates transitional fuels and auxiliary energy sources. Bio-methanol has been selected as the primary fuel, with expected improvements in lifecycle availability and performance over time, and the design includes wind-assisted propulsion and solar energy capture. In addition to fuel and propulsion choices, the plan emphasises sustainable materials and efficient use of internal space to lower the overall emissions footprint throughout the ship’s life cycle.
Meyer Turku’s project leaders have indicated that the portfolio of ideas and technologies emerging from AVATAR will inform their ongoing work and support the evolution of shipbuilding practices within their organisation and the wider maritime ecosystem, rather than stand alone as an isolated design study.