Video: Anthem of the Seas River Conveyance

On Tuesday, March 10, Royal Caribbean’s new Anthem of the Seas made the 32 kilometer trip down the River Ems from the Meyer Werft shipyard to the sea.

The trip, known as the river conveyance, is unique to Meyer Werft due to its inland location in Papenburg, Germany. Every ship ever constructed at the shipyard since 1795 has had to make the journey at some point or another, but Anthem of the Seas and sister ship Quantum of the Seas, delivered last November, are the largest to ever do it.

To make the 10-hour trip, tugs maneuvered the ship stern first past 4 bridges that either needed to be raised or removed and power was shut off at 3 locations, causing power lines to shrink up, providing the clearance needed for the ship to fit underneath. Tidal barriers also needed to be shut so that there was enough water in the river to accommodate the ship’s draft.

Anthem of the Seas Ship Facts:

Registry: Nassau, Bahamas
Gross Tonnage: 168,666
Length: 1,141 feet
Beam: 136 feet
Draft: 28 feet
Cruising Speed: 22 knots
Passengers: 4,180 (double occupancy), 4,905 total
Crew: 1,500

Delivery: 2015
Maiden Voyage: April 22, 2015

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