Virgin Voyages accepted delivery of Scarlet Lady on Friday 14 February 2020 at Fincantieri’s shipyard at Genoa, Italy. The ship was presented yesterday during an official ceremony at the presence of authorities and the top management of the two companies.
Scarlet Lady has now set course for its home port of Miami, a journey that will take 46 days.
On the heels of this celebratory occasion, Virgin Voyages welcomes Scarlet Lady with an industry leading approach that takes immediate action to address climate change. Not only has the brand designed its fleet of ships to the latest energy-efficiency standards with state-of-the art equipment, Virgin Voyages is offsetting its direct climate change emissions through the purchase of carbon offsets.
Virgin Voyages says its commitment makes the brand the first cruise line to become carbon-neutral for its direct emissions footprint from its first day of commercial operation. The projects that will be supported by Scarlet Lady will meet high-quality, internationally-recognised verification standards, including The Gold Standard and the Verified Carbon Standard.
“It’s wonderful to welcome Scarlet Lady today,” says Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson. “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.”
The brand has recognised that climate change is an urgent, global issue for every industry and business. Like others, Virgin Voyages’ long-term ambition is a net-zero-carbon future. This will require significant advancements in technology and infrastructure, and access to solutions that remain in development. And Virgin Voyages has committed to working with the industry to support the necessary research and development to advance carbon-free fuels and to scale commercially viable solutions.
“The ocean is our home, and we are on a mission to protect it. The single-biggest threat facing our ocean is climate change, and we want to be part of the solution,” said Tom McAplin, CEO and President of Virgin Voyages. “We are committed to pioneering new technologies onboard, and working with our industry peers to advance research and development for zero-carbon fuels.”
Virgin Voyages is one of the first cruise lines to use Climeon, a technology that utilises heat generated from the ship’s engines to generate electricity, thereby decreasing the demand for fuel. While the industry continues to improve on the journey for readily available and commercially viable solutions, purchasing high-quality carbon offsets allows the cruise line to take immediate action, while also supporting a long-term strategy that secures a net-zero-carbon future for the cruise industry.
Scarlet Lady weighs about 110,000 gross tons, is 278 meters long and 38 wide. She features over 1,400 guest cabins designed to host more than 2,770 passengers, accompanied by 1,160 crew members on board.
Virgin Voyages second ship, Valiant Lady, currently under construction in the same yard, will be delivered in 2021, while the third and the fourth units, still unnamed, will set sail respectively in 2022 and 2023.
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