The upgrading procedures onboard Costa Serena include the introduction of energy-saving measures that include the optimisation of her air conditioning system and the application of a special silicone coating on the hull for more environmentally sustainable cruising Europe’s number one cruise company, Costa Cruises, will continue to invest heavily in its fleet as they endeavour to maintain the high standards of quality and sustainability the company hold dear. In the space of just three months, no less than five Costa ships were dry-docked for scheduled maintenance works as Costa invested around 22 million Euros in total.
From the end of October 2008 to late January 2009 operations were carried out on much of the fleet, including Costa Serena, Costa Europa, Costa Atlantica, Costa Romantica and Costa Concordia.
The Italian passenger fleet’s flagship, the 114,500 tonne Costa Serena, was the last ship to be dry-docked (from 28 January to 11 February 2009) in Fincantieri’s Palermo shipyard.
Key improvements to the Costa Serena are the specific shipboard energy and fuel-saving measures. One such initiative involves the installation of special air-conditioning regulators, a system already in use on the Costa Fortuna. Devices such as these increase the efficiency of the air-conditioning system in public areas through the automatic adjustment of airflow as determined by the number of people in the room and the relative outside temperature.
Another initiative involves the application of a special ecological silicone-based coating that works to inhibit the growth of micro-organisms on the surface of the hull without releasing any toxic discharge into the sea. Subsequently the overall hydrodynamic performance of the ship is enhanced whilst simultaneously reducing environmental impact, due to the ensuing decrease in fuel consumption.
The work being performed on Costa Serena and the four other Costa ships are the result of routine maintenance procedures performed on all ships throughout the fleet every two years. Such procedures are key to maintaining the high company standards which strictly adhere to Italian and international safety regulations. This maintenance involves the hull, engine and hotel sections of the ship and, in the case of the latter, include the replacement of carpeting, curtains, upholstery and other items and materials subject to wear and tear in public areas.