Concordia Damen secures a contract for its 135 design hybrid river vessel

This in-house designed ship has the Green Award Gold Standard, a quality mark that demonstrates high safety and environmental standards.  

It will have hybrid propulsion for reduced fuel consumption and lower emissions, high insulation, laser-controlled ventilation, and environmentally friendly materials used for the outfitting. 

A low draft allows for navigation in shallow waters for longer, supporting extended operations during low-water seasons. 

Spacious cabins, energy-friendly HVAC systems, customizable interiors and special crew areas also feature. For the latter, there’s a separate aft deck, including a mess room adjacent to the open deck.

Made to stock

The Dutch shipyard decided to build the vessels to stock partly to align itself with the growing demand for eco-friendly river cruising solutions, thus the next one is already in the early stage of being built. Once the hull is completed, the vessel can be adapted to suit the needs of individual clients. 

The operator

‘We are excited to partner with this leading Swiss operator to deliver our innovative River Cruise 135,’ stated Johan Muilenburg, PM, Concordia Damen. ‘This contract underscores our commitment to eco-friendly practices and excellence in shipbuilding… Cruise vessel owners and operators are welcome to visit our yard and see for themselves what this statement means in practice.’ 

Muilenburg said, ‘One of the features I personally like best is the fact that we’ve integrated solar panels in the railing, which are instrumental in charging the battery system. 

‘Another one is that we’ve proven that this design needs significantly less power to sail under normal circumstances – a real fuel- and cost saver. ‘ 

He added, ‘We are thankful to our client and very happy with this contract. After the A-Rosa Sena, this new 135 proves that Concordia Damen is really establishing itself in the river cruise market – the sustainable cruise market, to be precise.’ 

Efficiency

When it comes to the vessel's hybrid propulsion system, the 135 is being outfitted with diesel-electric propulsion with smart peak shaving – a system delivered by the yard’s long-time partner and system integrator, Oechies – and combining diesel-electric and battery technology for optimal efficiency and minimal environmental impact. 

In addition, Triton – an IoT solution from Damen for data-driven efficiency, remote monitoring, and predictive maintenance – adds extra operational reliability and reduced fuel consumption. 

As for heat-recovery systems: the vessel has one running on the engine’s cooling water and serves the central heating system, and a second integrated with the HVAC system, that sprouts a modular-built chiller plant and an energy saving cooling system.