The new cruise liner Mein Schiff 7 of the German cruise company TUI Cruises, will make its first visit to the Port of Riga. The vessel was recently put into operation – in June this year. 316 metres long and 35.8 metres wide Mein Schiff 7 is one of the largest cruise liners to call the Port of Riga this season. It can accommodate 2896 passengers and 1447 crew members. In addition, the vessel is the first of Mein Schiff’s fleet to be fuelled with methanol and future “green” methanol, making it virtually carbon neutral. It is also the first vessel of this type to arrive at the Port of Riga.

Tomorrow Mein Schiff 7 will bring to Riga 2879 cruise tourists from various German cities. As usual, a special ceremony will be organized to celebrate the ship’s visit to the port where the captain and representatives of the Port of Riga will exchange commemorative signs.

The impressive cruise ship has 16 decks, offering 12 restaurants and cafés, 17 bars, a spa, shops, extensive sports, entertainment and recreation areas and even a tattoo studio. The new Mein Schiff 7 has undergone a number of significant design changes compared to previous ships in the Mein Schiff fleet, with the introduction of several new cabin categories, including single cabins, as well as new specialty restaurants and other improvements to passenger comfort.

Mein Schiff 7 is the first Mein Schiff vessel to run exclusively on low-emission diesel fuel with a sulphur content of less than 0.1%. The vessel is equipped with catalytic converters that reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by around 75%, as well as shore-side electrical connection. Thanks to these technologies, the Mein Schiff 7 can operate virtually emission-free while in port (which makes about 40 percent of the cruise ship’s operating time).

In addition, Mein Schiff 7 is designed to operate using methanol, in the future – green methanol. Green methanol (bio- or e-methanol) is considered a climate-friendly fuel that makes the ship’s propulsion completely CO2-neutral.

TUI Cruises’ management, in welcoming Mein Schiff 7 to its fleet, stressed that the company’s vision is to move towards emission-free and climate-neutral cruises in the long term. “Our goal is to offer the first climate-neutral cruises already by 2030. The decision to prepare the Mein Schiff 7 to be fuelled with methanol is therefore an important investment in the future for us,” said Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises.

Edgars Sūna, Deputy CEO for Port Development of the Freeport of Riga, said: “The cruise tourism industry is moving towards environmentally friendly and sustainable cruises. Cruise ships are an important component of this trend, running on alternative, renewable and low-carbon fuels. The future competitiveness of the Port of Riga in the cruise segment will be determined by its ability to provide climate-neutral cruise ship reception and servicing. Therefore, the construction of a new, sustainable and modern passenger ship infrastructure in Exportosta is essential.”

This season, the Port of Riga has already welcomed 46 cruise ships, bringing 54 182 tourists from more than 120 countries to Riga. Further 13 cruise ship calls are expected in September, and the summer cruise season will be concluded with two ship calls in October. 5 ships are expected in December – in the framework of the winter season.