Virgin Voyages claims its first ship, Scarlet Lady, will be carbon-neutral from its very first sailing as the cruise line plans to carbon offset every journey.
More than 1,000 UK travel agents will get their first peek at the ship this week, having been invited to stay overnight on the Scarlet Lady when she arrives in Dover. Up to 700 more have been invited onboard for a range of entertainment.
Scarlet Lady will carry out a series of three-night sailings in March ahead of its maiden voyage from Miami on April 1.
“I’m so proud that as we start this exciting journey, we also bring to life Virgin Voyages’ commitment to preserving the ocean and the first of many steps towards a net zero carbon future,” said Virgin Group founder Richard Branson.
The ship features a range of tech advances that help address climate change, such as a system that converts waste heat into electricity.The ultimate goal is to achieve ‘net-zero carbon emissions in the future’, it said.
“We are committed to pioneering new technologies onboard, and working with our industry peers to advance research and development,” added Virgin Voyages CEO Tom McAlpin.
A second ship, Valiant Lady, is scheduled for delivery in 2021 and two more ships will launch in 2022 and 2023.
