MedCruise joins talks to introduce efficient and cost effective environmental charging
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
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- Published: 02 February 2016 02 February 2016
MedCruise, the international organisation with promotes cruising in the Mediterranean region, says it has joined cruise and other maritime stakeholders in Brussels to discuss differentiated port infrastructure charges to promote environmentally friendly maritime transport activities and sustainable transport.
The scope of the meeting organised by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport was to present the progress of an EU study assessing the various options that are currently applied in order to differentiate port infrastructure charges according to environmental or sustainability criteria.
The study is expected to deliver a guide to good practices with a set of principles and criteria that can be used by ports willing to implement, on a voluntary basis, efficient and cost-effective environmental charging.
Valeria Mangiarotti represented MedCruise, along with stakeholders from the maritime industries, port authorities and NGOs, participated in an open discussion, making suggestions to improve the final report.
Port representatives stressed that the majority of ports are already using the same index (Environmental Shipping Index) or certification (Green Award) to grant rebates to ships and there is scope to work towards facilitating further this convergence and maximize the effectiveness of differentiated charging. The question was therefore more to provide common instruments rather than to harmonise charges. Stakeholders noted that a purely harmonised and obligatory approach would not be warranted due to the lack of data and technical difficulties for ports to monitor themselves.
The final report of the study is expected by the end of March 2016. The findings of the study and the discussions with Member States will be reflected in the European Commission's input in the context of the trans-European network and the review of the maritime transport strategy.
MedCruise will provide further input, promoting best practices that will secure a sustainable and socially responsible growth of cruise activities in the Med and its adjoining seas.
Finnish businessman hopes to relaunch Swedish America Line - report
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- Published: 02 February 2016 02 February 2016
A Finnish businessman whose efforts to save the final vessel of the Swedish America Line failed plans to relaunch the company by building a vessel the company had contemplated after it had taken delivery of what was to be its last ship in 1966, a Swedish media report say.
Johnny Sid, the Turku based businessman, attempted to raise funds and secure a permanent berth at its former home port of Gothenburg in Sweden for the 1966 built former Kungsholm, which had last been used as an accommodation vessel in Oman and called Veronica.
However, the efforts failed, but he has now gained possession of the drawings Swedish America Line had for its planned next ship that it was working on soon after taking delivery of Kungsholm, the Swedish Shipping Gazette reports on its website. The design would have to be modified to modern safety standards and passenger tastes. It would cost about €300 million to build the ship, he was cited as saying
An image on the website shows a vessel quite like Kungsholm was after 1979, when P&O Cruises introduced it as Sea Princess after a major refit in Germany that included removal of the dummy forward funnel and extending the remaining one.
Swedish America Line was founded by Axel Brostrom, a wealthy Swedish ship owner, in 1915. For the first decade of its life, the company operated second hand and chartered tonnage. However, in 1925 it introduced its first newbuilding, the 17,000 gross register ton Gripsholm, which was one of the first diesel powered liner on the North Atlantic.
The company gained reputation as an upscale cruise operator, with its 1957 built Gripsholm and the Kungsholm of 1966 being regarded as one of the finest ships of their day, but it went out of business in 1975 after the price of oil had soared and inflexible trade unions blocked every effort proposed by the line to bring down operating costs.
MSC Cruises carried 1.7 million passengers 2015
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- Published: 02 February 2016 02 February 2016
MSC Cruises, the world’s fourth largest cruise shipping company, carried a record 1.7 million passengers on its vessels last year, said Gianni Onorato, CEO.
“In 2015, MSC Cruises came out of another year of unprecedented growth that saw a 10% year-on-year sales increase, with 1.7 million guests having journeyed on one of the Company’s 12 ultra-modern ships. In key markets, including Italy, Germany, Spain and France – growth at rates higher than the market resulted in further market share gains,” he said in a statement.
During the course of the latest fiscal year, the company further solidified its leadership in South America and South Africa. Additionally, it continued to expand its global reach beyond its core Mediterranean and Northern Europe offerings by being the first global cruise line to make Cuba its homeport.
As of May 2016, it also announced the deployment of its first ship out of China while continuing to strengthen its offerings in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Oman with even more capacity.
In the Caribbean, MSC Divina is now operating year-around from Miami with MSC Seaside joining her in December 2017. In an industry first, the two exclusively diverse Caribbean itineraries include port calls in Havana with MSC Opera and Armonia as of December 2016.
Meraviglia-Plus vessels to offer 200 more cabins than Meraviglia class
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- Published: 02 February 2016 02 February 2016
The two Meraviglia-Plus vessels MSC Cruises contracted at STX France yesterday will feature 2,444 cabins, which is 200 more than the two Meraviglia class vessels previously on order.
They will also be longer at 330.7 metres (1,085 feet) compared to 315.8 metres of the earlier pair.
An interior promenade 362 feet-long and it will feature 310 by 20 feet LED sky screen above it will display visual events and vistas around the clock to animate the entire promenade from above to create an unique atmospheric experience.
MSC Cruises and Cirque du Soleil have co-designed and built dining and entertainment venues that centre around the theatrical, aecrobatic style of shows that will be performed. “In addition to the exciting entertainment, MSC Meraviglia-Plus ships will feature a unique, cultural experience for guests at sea with the first of its kind classic and contemporary fine art museum,” MSC Cruises said.
Furthermore, Meraviglia and Meraviglia-Plus ships will look to set a new standard in smart ships. The recently announced partnership with Samsung will deliver state-of-the-art, next-generation technology. “MSC Cruises guests will be delighted by the latest displays, mobile solutions and medical equipment as well as products for enhanced reality experiences. “
The two new ships will be worth $1.7 billion, the company said in a statement.
Pandaw adds ship to Mekong, unveils Ecuadorian river cruise programme
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- Published: 01 February 2016 01 February 2016
Pandaw River Cruises said it will iuntroduce a new ship on the Mekong River in South East Asia, the Yunnan Pandaw. Sister ship to the Laos Pandaw, the Yunnan Pandaw will have 12 main deck and 2 upper deck staterooms, a stunning observation deck and dining room. “Launching in September this year she will operate the same 14-night itinerary as the Laos Pandaw – all the way from Vientiane in Laos to Jinghong in China.
The company has also announced the launch of a new 10-night partner programme in Ecuador, including a 7-night river expedition on the Napo River, which is a tributary of the Amazon River aboard MV Anakonda.
“Our programme includes a stay in Quito, with a walking tour of the UNESCO protected old city and a visit across the equator to Otavalo, famous for its local craft market,” the company said in a statement.
“A trip to Ecuador is not complete without a visit to the Galapagos Islands. We offer a choice of options to extend: either aboard the expedition cruise ship M/V Galapagos Legend or if you prefer to stay on terra firma, based in a hotel on Santa Cruz Island with daily included excursions,” it continued.
Just before Christmas, Pandaw acquired a 22 berth ocean going yacht that it will introduce on coastal voyages in Burmese and Indonesian waters as a replacement for a chartered vessel.
Pandaw is operated from Singapore and domiciled in London, where it is registered as the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company, Ltd.
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