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WATCH: Cruise Ship Cut in Half To Add 49 Foot Expansion, Incredible Feat of Maritime Engineering

By  //  March 22, 2018

Silversea Cruises’ 39,009 ton Silver Spirit cut in half

ABOVE: Watching a shipyard and its workers cut a ship in half, then easily “slide” a new 49-foot, multi-deck block into the gap in its mid-section, is a marvel to behold — an incredibly precise feat of maritime engineering. (Silversea Cruises video)

TRAVELAGENTCENTRAL.COM – Watching a shipyard and its workers cut a ship in half, then easily “slide” a new 49-foot, multi-deck block into the gap in its mid-section, is a marvel to behold — an incredibly precise feat of maritime engineering.

Travel Agent was on site at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Palermo, Sicily, on Saturday, March 10, as maritime executives, cruise line officials, media, trade partners and VIP guests, viewed the action to cut Silversea Cruises’ 39,009-grt Silver Spirit in half.

Silver Spirit is being lengthened from 642 feet to 691 feet. By the time the project is completed, that translates into 846 tons of steel, 360,892 feet of cabling, and 26,247 feet of piping.

A last vertical cut was made slicing the luxury vessel’s 10-deck superstructure apart, and even before guests left the event pavilion, the ship’s forward section was moving forward, creating a noticeable growing gap.

By Sunday, March 11, that gap had extended to some 50 feet. Then, invited guests returned to the shipyard to watch the second phase of the stretch.

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The new pre-built block – housing public spaces, cabins and part of the swimming pool area – was moved alongside the ship, then turned in position and moved into the gap. The whole process was incredibly smooth and a marvel to witness.

Now workers are busy reattaching/reinstalling all those cables, plumbing and fittings. And as the ship sails from the drydock and back into service on May 8, it also will have new public spaces, more suites and a more spacious interior area.

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Watching a shipyard and its workers cut a ship in half, then easily “slide” a new 49-foot, multi-deck block into the gap in its mid-section, is a marvel to behold — an incredibly precise feat of maritime engineering.

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