Construction phases and milestones

What are the phases of construction and the key milestones?

At the moment (September 2021), we are in the initial design phase. Drawings have been carried out for engineering design, interior design, and operation design. We have also produced specifications for the entire ship. That specification is going to be signed with the shipyard contract this year. The first milestone is signing the ship building contract.

The next phase will be the detailed engineering design. We’ll produce detailed engineering drawings, production design, and we’ll start cutting steel. That will be a milestone, the first cutting of steel.

The next phase is building sub-blocks. Those sub-blocks of steel will be made into larger blocks. Those larger blocks will be outfitted in some way: piping, cabling, cable trails.

Then the next milestone is the keel laying. This is when they’ve constructed at least 50 tons of steel into a block and they put the blocks on the slipway where they’ll continue outfitting the ship. The blocks continue to be built upon until they form a ship.

The next milestone will be the engine installation of the four main engines.

Then when the ship gets to a certain weight, the next milestone after that is launching, when the ship goes down the slip, into the water and is taken to a berth. At the berth, they carry on outfitting, painting and finishing. Then they start commissioning out the machinery and the systems.

Following that, the next milestone is sea trials, when the ship is taken to sea for the first time. It will be tested at sea, running through loads of different operational tests to check if everything is working. After any issues, problems or snags have been sorted out, then the ship is complete.

Then delivery, when the ship is completed and accepted by the owners. That’s when we’ll have a naming ceremony.

LNG engines

Will the LNG engines directly drive the propellers or will they generate electricity to power electric engines that drive the propellers?

The LNG will be powering what is basically a power station. We have four generators and they’ll be producing electricity, which will be producing at around 6,600 volts. That power will then be distributed around the ship in different voltages. And part of that will go to the propulsion of the ship.

Can the ship use biofuel?

The ship will be able to use bio LNG and we’re hoping to source that wherever we can. LNG is not available in every place in the world where we’re going as not every country has the infrastructure. We have to use gas oil in some places, which we are prepared for. Our goal is to utilize bio LNG whenever possible as it becomes more readily available.

Will it be possible to replace the LNG engines with a more environmental solution in the future, perhaps a hydrogen fueled system?

Yes. That is part of the reason why we want a generator as a power station so that in the future, if the technology gets to the point where we can use fuel cells, then we can replace those engines with hydrogen fuel cells. Instead of carrying LNG, we would carry hydrogen.

Does the ship have the ability to use secondary substitute fuel?

The ship’s primary fuel is LNG but we also carry as the secondary fuel, ultra low sulfur marine gas oil. That will be used as a reserve in case of the LNG fuel system not working or LNG not being available.

Where will the ship be delivered to?

The itinerary of the ship hasn’t been fixed yet but delivery will be from Split, Croatia.

What are some of the energy saving measures onboard?

The entire ship design has been undertaken with sustainability and energy efficiency in mind. There are various systems throughout the ship which are taking these into consideration. The air conditioning system is going to be integrated with an artificial intelligence system which will detect whether the unit is occupied or unoccupied, and it will adjust the flow rates accordingly. It will also detect whether the balcony door is open, and shut off the system if the door is opened. The AI system is also integrated with other aspects of the cabins such as the blinds. If we’re sailing with the sun on one side and there’s a number of cabins that are unoccupied, the AI will close the blinds in those cabins to reduce the load of the air conditioner. We’re also recovering and using waste heat from the engine exhaust and cold recovery from cooling the LNG to use in other systems to give heat and cooling. We have solar energy onboard to give us more electricity for systems such as the vertical garden. We have an intelligent lighting system with LEDs. We have energy saving devices off the hull to reduce the friction and we have low friction hull coatings. There are many energy efficient systems on board. Sustainability is one of our key design aspects.

What is the top speed for ocean crossings?

The top speed possible in calm weather conditions will be around 40 knots but we’re generally going to be cruising around 10 knots. Even on an Atlantic crossing, we’ll stick to the lower speeds.

Will moving on board proceed in stages?

We will try to sail on the delivery date. So that means that moving in will likely happen slightly before that. The ship’s residential units will likely be finished before the other public areas. It will be in sea trials at that time, so just ironing out the snags, so people can move in before the delivery date. But most likely, we’ll move in stages since we don’t want everyone rushing on the ship at the same time. The stages are going to be announced with the ship building contract and priority will likely be given to Founders Circle members.

What is the longest consecutive number of days at sea such as a transatlantic or transpacific crossing?

The longest section of ‘at-sea’ days we should expect is a once annual ocean crossing that may be up to two weeks.

Which way will the ship be heading; in an easterly or westerly direction?

The final Itinerary is not set yet. We expect to be alternating the direction of travel and the position of the vessel in ports.

When will Marina be able to be used?

Due to its highly specialized design, the vessel’s marina can only be used when conditions permit. Ideally, the marina will be fully operational in those ports where the waters are generally calm, in shallow water anchorages and in any protected waters where it is safe to dock.

Founding Year of Storylines

The Storylines’ lifestyle has been in development since 2016 and with full-time operations underway since 2018. Our partners include industry experts with over 150 years ship building experience, established cruise operators, destination management services, as well port and hotel management provides. Together, Storylines brings to you a world-class, world-first option in lifestyle.

Crew Language – English

While the crew on MV Narrative may be as global as the ship itself, all are fluent in its working language – English. Unlike cruise ships, our crew is treated to larger personal cabins, more recreational space, amazing food and more time off work so they can explore the destinations. As you can imagine, we have some of the world’s best crew members interested in living the Storylines lifestyle.

Please speak to your residential adviser here for more details.

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