Canadian shipbuilder Davie in talks to acquire Helsinki Shipyard's assets

Details

Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 27 March 2023 27 March 2023

Chantier Davie Canada Inc. has announced the exercise of its exclusive option to purchase the assets of Helsinki Shipyard Oy, the Finnish builder of expedition cruise ships and icebreakers, Davie said in a statement.

“Exercising the option to purchase does not mean an acquisition is completed. It is subject to the successful execution of thorough due diligence, including financial, regulatory and legal considerations, as well as final decision making by Davie,” the company said. 

Davie President and CEO, James Davies, said: “If the acquisition is successful, it would combine two historic and highly complementary businesses creating the western world’s leading international centre of excellence for Arctic shipbuilding.”

The ongoing process is otherwise confidential, and Davie will make further comment only upon reaching a major milestone such as the signing of a purchase agreement, the company said.

Helsinki Shipyard is in the process of completing the third and final expedition cruise ship for Swan Hellenic, based in Cyprus.

Based in Québec, Canada and founded in 1825, Davie is a leading builder and maintainer of specialist, mission-critical ships such as icebreakers, warships and ferries for government and commercial customers. Davie is Canada’s largest and highest capacity shipbuilder as well as a partner in the country’s National Shipbuilding Strategy under which it will build a fleet of advanced, fuel-efficient polar icebreakers and hybrid ferries, it noted.

Helsinki Shipyard in currently owned by a Cyprus based company that again is owned by two Russian businessmen. Neither the shipyard nor its owners face sanctions as a result of the Russian attack on Ukraine.

Chantiers de l’Atlantique lays the keel of Ilma

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 23 March 2023 23 March 2023

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection celebrated an exciting milestone at a keel-laying ceremony held at world-renowned shipyard Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France. A longstanding maritime tradition, the keel-laying ceremony marks the official start of construction, as the first modular block of Ilma was lowered into the building dock.

“We are thrilled to celebrate this important milestone and to partner with Chantiers de l’Atlantique on the construction of Ilma,” commented Douglas Prothero, Chief Executive Officer for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. “As we expand our fleet, we look forward to continuing to create unique experiences that celebrate the yachting lifestyle and are transforming the luxury cruising category.”

Slated to debut in 2024, Ilma, meaning “water” in Maltese, will be the second yacht for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. The specially designed superyacht will feature the highest space and staff-to-guest ratios in the luxury cruise category. Ilma will measure 790-feet, feature 228 airy, light-filled suites, and can accommodate up to 456 passengers. The onboard experience will reflect the sublime comfort and legendary service for which The Ritz-Carlton brand is recognized. It will be the first yacht in the collection to utilize liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel source – further positioning The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection as an innovator with the industry.

“Chantiers de l’Atlantique is very proud of its partnership with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection,” said Arnaud Le Joncour, Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing for Chantiers de l'Atlantique. “Through this ceremony, we wish the best to Ilma during construction with the assurance that the vessel’s elegant design, quality materials, and environmental performance will position Ilma as a legendary symbol in a new era of luxury cruising.”

P&O Cruises becomes headline sponsor British TV awards

Details

Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 22 March 2023 22 March 2023

P&O Cruises, the UK focused contemporary market unit in the Carnival Corporation & plc group, said it is the new headline sponsor to the BAFTA Television Awards which will take place on May 14, 2023. “The multi-year partnership will include activity around the awards, as well as future activation on board the P&O Cruises fleet,” the company said in a statement.

 As part of the partnership P&O Cruises will launch a ‘P&O Cruises Memorable Moment Award’, which will be the only award to be voted for by members of the viewing public. The award will honour the impact of television in the UK and its power to entertain, inform and bring the nation together. Voting for the six nominees will open in April 2023. The nominations will be decided by an independent industry jury, overseen by BAFTA.

 P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said: “We could not be more delighted to be working in partnership with BAFTA for the upcoming Television Awards. This headline sponsorship brings together two iconic British brands, both steeped in heritage and with huge synergies in entertainment and experience.”

 

“Just like holidays, TV provides escapism from the everyday and the BAFTA Television Award categories and nominees represent a huge variety, with programming and talent which truly celebrates the best of the best.”

 

Louise Robertson, Executive Director of Partnerships & Fundraising at BAFTA, said: “As Britain’s most popular cruise line, P&O Cruises is a distinctively British brand with history and heritage in the hearts and minds of all age groups.

 

“As an arts charity, we are very grateful to P&O Cruises for its generous support of the BAFTA Television Awards, enabling us to stage Britain’s biggest celebration of UK and international television – and look forward to developing our new partnership over the coming years to celebrate the people who bring this to life through their storytelling and production, and inspire the next generation of creative talent,” she concluded.

MSC Foundation enters coral reef conservation partnership

Details

Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 22 March 2023 22 March 2023

The MSC Foundation and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) today announced a new partnership to conserve and restore threatened coral reefs. "The announcement was made during Monaco Ocean Week, an event that brings experts and leaders from across the marine conservation community together to discuss key challenges facing the world's oceans," MSC Cruises said in a statement.

 The MSC Foundation’s support will enable the completion of the comprehensive global assessment of the world’s coral species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species^TM. The Global Coral Biodiversity Assessment project aims to deliver concrete, actionable restoration plans for coral reefs, as well as the threatened species populating them.

 The project will include identifying the most threatened species of coral and areas of reef; prioritising conservation and restoration actions based on the threats they face; and reporting the contribution that conserving these ecosystems makes to achieving the targets in the UN Global Biodiversity Framework, the company said.