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Aurora Botnia conducts sea trials

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 11 June 2021 11 June 2021

The car and passenger ferry Aurora Botnia is nearing the end of the construction phase at Rauma Marine Constructions’ shipyard. The ferry, which will operate on the route between the Finnish city of Vaasa and the Swedish city of Umeå, completed its first sea trial last weekend. The three-day sea trial was conducted with strict safety measures in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Only essential experts from RMC, Wasaline, and the equipment manufacturers attended the trial.

The sea trial represents a major milestone in the shipbuilding process to both RMC and Wasaline.

“This was definitely a highlight for us, a culmination of several years of effort. We were able to meet the expectations of our work, ensuring that the ship we built can operate as intended,” says Johanna Kaijo, Project Manager for Aurora Botnia at Rauma Marine Constructions.

“The event was important to Wasaline, too, as we had the opportunity to get to know our new ship and its operations in marine conditions for the first time with the project’s key personnel,” says Peter Ståhlberg, Managing Director of Wasaline.

Performance and environmental sustainability under review

The sea trial was conducted to assess the performance of the vessel, which will be the world’s most environmentally friendly passenger car ferry when completed. The ship’s equipment were adjusted to operate as efficiently and economically as possible.

“We adjusted the power plant and tested the ship’s speed, propulsion and steering, among other things, during the sea trials. We ran the ship’s fuel-efficient main engines with different settings and fine-tuned the automation to further improve the vessel’s environmental sustainability. In addition, we were able to ensure in practice that the ship’s design meets the strict criteria of the Clean Design class notation,” Kaijo summarises.

Both RMC and Wasaline consider the first sea trial a success.

“The ship performed well, meeting the requirements set for it. It was a pleasure to witness the successful outcome of years of work,” says Kaijo, with Ståhlberg concurring.

A model example of a new generation car and passenger ferry

Aurora Botnia will be the first car and passenger ferry in the world with a Clean Design class notation. In practice, this means that the ship has been designed and built to significantly exceed the requirements of the MARPOL Convention for the prevention of pollution from ships.

The ship’s main engines operate primarily on low emission liquefied natural gas, which reduces sulphur, nitrogen and carbon dioxide emissions. In the future, the ship can be powered by biogas. In addition to the fuel solution, Aurora Botnia has an electric power system that can be used when operating to and from ports.

“Our goal is to be a pioneer in environmentally sustainable technology in shipbuilding. Our ship for Wasaline is a prime example of what we can achieve by combining years of experience from building dozens of previous ships with the latest innovations. We are grateful to the customer for the opportunity to build such a great vessel,” says Jyrki Heinimaa, CEO and President of Rauma Marine Constructions.

“We are very pleased to leverage RMC’s shipbuilding expertise. We want to be one of the most environmentally sustainable shipping companies, and Aurora Botnia is the most significant concrete step towards this goal,” says Ståhlberg.

Preparations are underway for the handover of Aurora Botnia in Vaasa, Finland. The date of the handover, the maiden voyage and the start of ticket sales will be announced next week.

In the photo Aurora Botnia pictured in the archipelago during the sea trials. Photo: Sammeli Korhonen

MSC Cruises to resume cruises from US ports in August

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 08 June 2021 08 June 2021

MSC Cruises, the Geneva based cruise shipping company, has announced its restart plans for cruising from US ports beginning this August with one ship, with a second ship joining it in the following month.

The announcement follows CDC approval of the Company’s Phase 2A Port Agreements for PortMiami and Port Canaveral as well as the provisional approval of its request to conduct a simulation cruise, to be held on MSC Meraviglia from PortMiami on July 17.

“MSC Meraviglia will kick off MSC Cruises’ restart starting August 2, with 3- and 4-night cruises from Miami to The Bahamas and featuring MSC Cruises’ exclusive new private island destination, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve,” the company said in a statement.

Then, starting September 18, MSC Meraviglia will add 7-night cruises from Miami to The Bahamas and Caribbean, including Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.

Meanwhile, MSC Divina will resume cruising from Port Canaveral on September 16, 2021, offering 3-, 4- and 7-night cruise options from to The Bahamas and Caribbean, also including stops at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.

NCLH publishes additional US cruise resumption plans

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 08 June 2021 08 June 2021

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) a leading global cruise company which operates the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, has announced additional voyages as part of its U.S. voyage resumption plan.

Norwegian Cruise Line plans to set sail beginning summer 2021 with voyages from New York, Los Angeles, Port Canaveral and Miami and the line announced that its newest innovative ship, Norwegian Encore will debut in Alaska this summer in place of Norwegian Bliss.

Voyages expected to operate in the US are contingent on obtaining a Conditional Sailing Certificate from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All initial voyages will operate with fully vaccinated guests and crew in addition to the Company’s robust, multi-layered SailSAFETM health and safety program.

“I am pleased to continue our Great Cruise Comeback with plans already announced for 23 of our 28 ships across our three brands beginning in July 2021 and phasing in through early 2022,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of NCLH

The group’s Norwegian Cruise Line contemporary market unit has announced further details on its phased voyage resumption plan for additional ships beginning summer 2021. Newly announced expected deployment plans include the following:

Norwegian Gem will cruise seven-day itineraries to the Caribbean beginning August 15, 2021 and a four-day voyage to the Bahamas in November from Miami;

Additional itineraries on Norwegian Breakaway are open for sale to Bermuda starting September 26, 2021 from New York;

Norwegian Bliss will sail on October 24, 2021 to the Mexican Riviera from Los Angeles;

Norwegian Escape will sail on November 13, 2021 to the Caribbean from Port Canaveral;

In addition, Norwegian Encore, the newest ship in the line’s fleet, will make her debut on the West Coast, taking the place of the previously announced Norwegian Bliss for the 2021 summer Alaska cruise season.

The Alaska itinerary will include visits to Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point, while also offering guests majestic views of Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier or Glacier Bay. Guests and travel partners with impacted reservations will be contacted directly.

NCLH said it continues to expect a phased-in approach to reintroducing additional vessels while taking into account the public health environment, global travel restrictions, regulatory restrictions and port availability, among other considerations.

“All voyages will operate with the Company’s comprehensive SailSAFETM health and safety protocols which were developed with leading public health and scientific experts including the Healthy Sail Panel and the SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council. The Company’s SailSAFE protocols will be continuously evaluated and modified with the latest science and technology,” NCLH said.

UK demand for three week plus cruises exceeds 2019 levels

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 08 June 2021 08 June 2021

The demand for cruises of three weeks or more has increased by 10% this year compared to 2019, the UK based cruise specialist cruise.co.uk said in a statement.

Voyages of three weeks and over travel to destinations across the world and often include hotel stays and tours either side of sailing, to allow guests to make the most of their time away.

“Sailings from Sydney to Pacific Islands such as Bora Bora, Tahiti and Hawaii have seen the biggest percentage spike in popularity. Other, more extensive, itineraries proving popular with UK guests include a 30-night tour of the far east including Singapore and Tokyo; 27 nights in Australia and New Zealand; and a 37-night ‘Pacific Paradise’ sailing to Fiji, Vanuatu and Hong Kong. All are in late 2022 and 2023,” the company said.

Longer cruises can include a greater variety of port calls as there is more time to reach different destinations, plus larger ships with a greater range of facilities.

Cruise lines will often offer additional incentives to long-term cruisers such as free drinks, complimentary wi-fi, a door-to-door luggage service, valet laundry and inclusive tips.

Tony Andrews, deputy managing director of cruise.co.uk, said: “Guests are increasingly booking for longer periods of time away to really make the most of their holiday after so much time indoors. It’s clear there is a real appetite for extended cruises, in part because our opportunities to travel have been so limited for nearly 18 months now.

“Extended cruises are a fantastic holiday option; not only will you enjoy a wonderful time onboard and at the various stops your ship calls at, but there’s also the opportunity to explore your destination on land both before and after sailing,” he said.

Photo: Rarotonga

MV Werften receives loan commitment from the Economic Stabilisation Fund

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 06 June 2021 06 June 2021

During the past few months, MV Werften, together with representatives of the federal and regional government as well as its partner, have been engaging in discussions concerning the possibilities for obtaining interim aid from the Economic Stabilisation Fund (ESF) of the federal government and negotiating the general conditions. This Thursday a positive decision was taken by the ESF. Carsten J. Haake (Managing Director MV WERFTEN, CFO): “We are pleased with the outcome and would like to express our sincere gratitude to the ministries of the federal and regional governments, the KfW investment and development bank and the other banks for their commitment, and also for the hard, but fair negotiations during the course of the past few months. This gratitude is likewise extended to our partner, who trusts and supports us.”

Proceeding from the ultimate decision by Hermes concerning federal guarantees for the post-delivery financing of the Endeavor as well as the granting of ESF funds, the restructuring measures will then be implemented on the basis of the negotiated transfer collective agreement.

Peter Fetten states in this respect: “So far, we have succeeded in dealing with the Corona crisis to the best of our ability, my heart-felt thanks go to our colleagues – each and every one of them. With our partner by our side, we will now, as a shipyard group, successfully manage our orders – initially with a smaller team – and further develop new, innovative ships at the same time.” Carsten J. Haake adds: “The Management and our partner are simultaneously endeavouring to obtain funding for further shipbuilding products in order to secure subsequent employment.”

In the wake of a challenging 14-month period of the pandemic and the Corona-related standstill in cruise shipping and in shipbuilding, there are indications that things are returning to normal and that it will thus be possible to return to the customary level of efficiency in production. The progress currently being made in terms of vaccinations in Europe and in Germany is enabling supply chains to revert to the just-in-time mode, in addition, the travel industry is showing good signs of recovery. The number of bookings received by cruise ship companies is on the rise and these reservations already demonstrate a demand for safe cruises. Peter Fetten remarks in this regard: “We are looking ahead to the future with a mix of optimism and confidence. We shall continue to build innovative and, above all, safe ships.”