Mein Schiff 3, the first of two 97,000 gross ton cruise liners on order by TUI Cruises in Hamburg, Germany at STX Finland in Turku, will be  about 30% more energy efficient than existing ships of the same size, the cruise line said in a statement.

The use of energy on board will have a direct effect on fuel consumption and in order to reduce this plus emissions from the new vessel that will enter service next year, a raft of energy saving measures will be introduced. Exhaust heart from the engines will be used to heat water; the air conditioning plant is more efficient than traditionally and a modern energy management system will be used to keep consumption and emissions at a bay.

TUI Cruises is a joint venture of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL), the world's second largest cruise shipping group, and TUI AG, the German tour operator that also owns Hapag-lloyd Kreuzfahrten.

The statement came only a few weeks after a senior Carnival Corp & plc group official had stated that the 141,000 gross ton newbuilding on order for P&O Cruises in the UK would offer 25% more capacity and about 30% less fuel consumption than the existing seven ships of the Southampton based company.