Smart technologies and dematerialization as new opportunities for the design of more sustainable ships: case studies in cruise vessel design

Abstract

In the last twenty years cruise ships have increased in number and grown in size, developing oversized cruise vessels, known as ‘mega-ships’. In the last few years, a new generation of more innovative ships, the ‘smart ships’, have become a complementary phenomenon and may represent a more sustainable alternative to the growth of ‘mega-ships’. Smart ships can produce new experiences on board and generate a new design of interiors and exteriors of the ships. Through the analysis of the case studies, this study brings a reflection on the state of the art of the sustainability of new smart ships. The results aim to provide more information on how smart technologies and reactive materials can help ships become more sustainable.