The launching ceremony of the world’s largest cruise ship, the Orient Express Corinthian, took place in France. The ship, 220 meters long and weighing more than 26,000 tons, was a joint project of the legendary train brand Orient Express and the Accor hotel group. About this informs Interesting Engineering.
The luxurious liner is designed for 110 passengers, who will be accommodated in 54 cabins. Its routes will cover the French and Italian Rivieras, as well as the waters of the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas. Construction began with steel cutting in March 2024, and assembly began at the beginning of the year. In total, the ship is assembled from 14 modules and has already been transferred to the marina for final fitting. The first flight is scheduled for June 2026.
The Orient Express Corinthian features three baluster masts with the ability to rotate and tilt for maximum sail efficiency. Each mast reaches 328 feet tall and carries 16,146 square feet of stackable sails. The vessel will be able to move entirely on renewable wind energy under favorable conditions, and if necessary, a hybrid installation on liquefied natural gas is activated.
Advanced technologies have also been implemented on the liner, including an artificial intelligence system for detecting objects in the water in order to avoid collisions with marine mammals. A dynamic positioning system is provided to protect the seabed, which allows you to avoid anchoring.
The liner is equipped with the BIO-SEA ecological system from the BIO-UV Group for cleaning ballast water without chemicals – with the help of ultraviolet radiation. Similar innovations will be implemented on the second ship of the series — Orient Express Silencieux, which is scheduled for launch in the summer of 2027.
