Chantiers de l’Atlantique picks Brunvoll propulsion for the world’s largest sailing ships

Brunvoll propulsion system consists of a twin-screw configuration with a controllable pitch propeller with a diameter of 3.9 meters

Chantiers de l’Atlantique has chosen Brunvoll as the supplier of main propulsion for Orient Express Silenseas’s new cruise ships, which are going to become the world’s largest sailing ships. The order is for two vessels, with two additional as an option, Brunvoll said in its news release.

The delivery from Brunvoll is a propulsion system consisting of a twin-screw configuration with a controllable pitch propeller with a diameter of 3.9 meters. The propellers are designed to be fully feathering to limit drag while sailing. The propellers will have direct electrical drive, where Brunvoll will supply their Thrust-OD Box, which works as a thrust bearing with a hydraulic system for the controllable pitch propellers.

Orient Express is known as a pioneer within luxury train travel but has now setout to conquer the seven seas with the Silenseas. The sailing cruise ships will have some impressive main particulars; a length of 220 meters, three sail masts with height above 100 meters and surface area of 1.500 square meters each, and 54 cabins with an average size of 70 square meters.

“This Project confirms Brunvoll being one of the front runners concerning Propulsion design and Main Propulsion efficiency where our skilled hydrodynamicists have been working closely together with Chantiers del’ Atlantique on the development and assessment of different propulsion solutions for these spectacular vessels.
A huge thanks from us at Brunvoll to Chantiers de l’Atlantique and the Oriente Express for the good cooporation and team effort put into this project. We hope to see them sailing in the Norwegian Fjords sometime!”, says Arnfinn Brautaset, Sales Manager at Brunvoll AS.

Main Particulars:
Twin-screw propulsion
220 meters in length
Three masts of 100 meters in height and a area of 1.500 square meters each.
54 cabins with average size of 70 square meters.

About Orient Express‍
Artisan oftravel since 1883, Orient Express sublimates the Art of Travel with its luxurytrains, unique experiences, and collections of rare objects. And coming soon: its first hotels around the world, with the opening of Orient Express La Minerva in Rome and Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli in Venice in 2024.Another project has also been announced in Riyadh, the first city in the Middle East to announce the arrival of an Orient Express hotel. The luxury travel experience will continue with the launch of Orient Express La Dolce Vita and the return of the legendary Orient Express to railways.

About Chantiers de l’Atlantique
Thanks to the expertise of its teams and its network of subcontractors, combined with top industrial technology, Chantiers de l’Atlantique is a key leader in the design, integration, testing and precise delivery of cruise ships, naval vessels, electrical substations for offshore wind farms and fleet services. The company is a pioneer in the challenges of tomorrow. Thanks to its research and development, Chantiers de l’Atlantique offers ships with the highest environmental performance, as well as equipment for offshore windfarms, making it a major player in global energy transition.