Meyer Werft is working with Disney Cruise Line on yet another project, this time to bring the company’s brand new cruise ship, the Disney Treasure, to life, offering the cruising public a low-emissions ship option, but still complete with all of that expected Disney magic. Today, with the keel laying ceremony, a major construction milestone has been achieved.
The Disney Treasure construction process has officially been launched with the keel laying ceremony in Papenburg, Germany.
In 2022, Disney took possession of the Meyer-Werft-built Disney Wish, which was also equipped with cutting-edge low-emission LNG (liquefied natural gas) propulsion technology. The Disney Treasure is yet another addition to the company’s LNG fleet.
Disney Treasure’s Keel Laying Ceremony and Placing the Lucky Coin
Disney Treasure’s hull assembly kicked off today, March 30. The first component for the keel laying ceremony has now been placed in the impressive 500-meter-long covered building dock.
This important first step in the shipbuilding process will be the bow block of the ship, coming in at whopping 719 tons, measuring 30.9 meters (101.3 feet) in breadth, 23.3 meters (76.4 feet) in length, and standing at 12.6 meters (41.3 feet) in height.
Philip Gennotte, a portfolio project management executive at Walt Disney Imagineering Germany, had the honor of setting a “lucky” coin underneath the keel of the Disney Treasure, as maritime tradition tends to dictate.
The coin was placed just before the shipyard gave the signal to lower the massive bow block onto the bracing and the coin, which should bring good fortune—according to the lucky coin custom—as well as safe travels for the ship and all of her future passengers.
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“The Disney Treasure will once again be a ship that will be constructed with Meyer quality and once again meet Disney’s high standards for entertainment and equipment,” Jan Meyer, Managing Director of Meyer Werft, commented. “With the keel laying, we have now reached an important milestone in this respect,” Meyer added.
The Benefits of LNG-Powered Cruise Ships
In recent years, the cruise industry has faced growing criticism from eco-conscious holidaymakers regarding the environmental impacts of colossal ships.
The industry has been taking significant steps toward addressing these sustainability concerns by introducing cleaner, non-electric marine fuel, as exemplified by LNG-powered cruise ships.
LNG reduces harmful emissions like sulfur, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and other greenhouse gases by significant percentages—in some cases, as much as 90% or more.
This environmentally friendly LNG propulsion technology is a major step forward in creating a more sustainable and responsible global tourism industry.
Disney Treasure’s Place in the Family of Disney Ships
This highly anticipated new Disney cruise ship is set to have 1,240 cabins, along with a remarkable size of 144,000 gross tons.
Disney Treasure, upon completion, will become the latest addition to the Disney Cruise Line fleet, which already includes the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, delivered to the company by Meyer Werft in 2010 and 2012, respectively, as well as the newer Disney Wish (2022), and the older Disney Magic (1998), which is still sailing the seas.
It seems Disney Cruise Line’s continued investment in ships that tackle environmental concerns while providing guests with incredible travel experiences at the same time is set to continue into the foreseeable future.
