A-Rosa River Cruises has announced further details of the sustainability features of its new hybrid-powered E-Motion ship, A-Rosa Sena.

The ship, which launches on the northern Rhine in May 2022, will include technology to manage energy consumption and keep emissions to a minimum, making it “the most climate-friendly river cruise ship on Europe’s rivers”, according to A-Rosa.

Sena will also be the first river cruise ship in Europe to generate electricity from exhaust heat.

This energy will be stored in the ship’s batteries for use when required, ensuring both waste energy and emissions are kept to a minimum.

A state-of-the-art waste water treatment plant on board will allow waste water to be purified and the waste produced disposed of in ports by specialist companies. The ship also has an optimised hull, to reduce friction and energy consumption.

The E-Motion concept combines a diesel engine with an electric motor, powered by batteries, allowing extra energy generated by the diesel engine to be stored and used when necessary.

The ship will, therefore, be able to switch to battery power when arriving and departing from ports. While docked, it will also connect to shore power.

The line’s UK & Ireland MD Lucia Rowe said: “Sustainability is key for A-Rosa as we look to protect the rivers we sail through for future generations.

“A-Rosa Sena demonstrates our commitment in this area and we are so proud that we are leading the way with some incredible features that make this ship the most climate-friendly river cruise ship in Europe.”

In late December 2021, A-Rosa revealed some of the dining options set to appear on the new ship including The Sena Grill, a speciality restaurant.