Silversea has announced plans for its first-ever ship lengthening as the 2009-built Silver Spirit will be stretched next year at Fincantieri’s Palermo shipyard.

Starting in early March, the 36,000-ton Silver Spirit will be lengthened by inserting a prebuilt 49-foot-long midsection housing six Silver Suites, 26 Veranda Suites and two Panorama Suites, the company said.

Technical upgrades will also be implemented.

“Based on the wonderful feedback from guests sailing aboard our beautiful Silver Muse, we believe the comprehensive makeover we have planned for Silver Spirit will enrich the onboard experience and be equally appreciated by guests. They will see many of Silver Muse’s innovations and elevated comforts embodied by our reimagined Silver Spirit,” said Christian Sauleau, Executive Vice President of Fleet Operations for Silversea Cruises.

Giorgio Rizzo, Senior Vice President Services of Fincantieri, said: “The lengthening of a ship always entails a rare level of complexity in a sector with already high technological content as the cruise one is. Today our group and the Palermo shipyard boast an established and recognized experience in this kind of operations, confirmed by the project that Silversea has assigned us. We are particularly proud of it because we will supervise it entirely, from design to its full execution, to the delivery to the shipowner.”