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Losses on electric ferries add to Havyard Ship Technology woes

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 18 November 2019 18 November 2019

Losses on four electric ferries for domestic operator Fjord 1 are adding to the woes of Havyard Ship Technology (HST), the shipbuilding unit of the listed Norwegian shipbuilding and maritime technology group Havyard ASA (HGR).

“In connection with the review of updated project forecasts for HST's vessels under construction, as well as an overall assessment of HST's financial position, the respective Boards of Directors of HGR and HST have noted further losses on the projects with hull no. 131 and 135, and now also for hull no. 141-145. As a result, HST's equity is lost and furthermore, there are now also breach of covenants as of Q3 2019,” Havyard said. The hulls number 131 and 135 are not passenger vessels.

“As a consequence of the above, meetings have been held with banks and guarantors to ensure completion of ongoing projects at HST. Furthermore, a dialogue will immediately be initiated with customers and suppliers where the aim is to ensure outfitting of projects under completion at HST, and to find satisfactory solutions for other projects,” Havyard continued.

“Work on continued operations will be maintained on a secured basis (cash settlement or bank guarantee), so that the creditor's current positions will not deteriorated. For debts accrued as of today, the Board of Directors of HST has introduced a payment suspension until further clarifications has been made.”

“As part of the further work, an analysis will also be made of the consequences that the loss of equity in HST will have for the consolidated Group, which is expected to be reported when presenting the accounts for Q3 2019,’ Havyard stated.

Victory Cruise Lines reports successful inaugural season

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 16 November 2019 16 November 2019

Victory Cruise Lines has announced the success of its inaugural season under the management of the American Queen Steamboat Company. Committed to small-ship cruising on the Great Lakes, North American and Canadian coasts, Victory Cruise Lines transported nearly 5,500 guests thus far on the identical 202-passenger Victory I and Victory II.

Operated by American Queen Steamboat Company, a leader in U.S. river cruising, Victory Cruise Lines’ inaugural season ran from May 2019 through October 2019 with itineraries on the Great Lakes, as well as New England and Canadian Maritimes. The 2019 season featured 35 total cruises with 19 on the Victory I and 16 on the Victory II. Of those 35 sailings, 25 featured an occupancy of at least 80%, 12 of which were completely sold out.

In addition, the customer ratings for both the Victory I and the Victory II have been incredibly positive. Both vessels entered the fourth quarter of the season with satisfaction ratings trending upwards to 9.10. Scores for friendly and hospitable staff averaged 9.75 across both vessels, with the Victory II receiving a high score of 9.96. The cuisine and accommodations for both vessels averaged at a solid 9 throughout the season, and shore excursions secured high praise from guests for the richness and variety of experiences and locations featured in each itinerary.

“We are thrilled with the success of our first season managing Victory Cruise Lines” shares John Waggoner, Founder and CEO of American Queen Steamboat Company. “We look forward to continuing to grow and expand our offerings with the same authenticity and passion for service that exists across our fleet of riverboats as we look to the 2020 season.”

New for 2020, Victory Cruise Lines will offer new itineraries to the American Southeast, Yucatan Peninsula, Costa Rica and Panama. For the 2020 voyages on the Great Lakes, Canadian Maritimes and coastal New England, guests will also have the opportunity to select from new itineraries and a number of premium shore excursion upgrades, including pre- and post-cruise stays. The 2020 season is scheduled to begin March 29 and extend through December. In addition, Victory Cruise Lines will also unveil new itineraries for the currently under-construction Ocean Victory, which will offer expedition cruising in Alaska for the 2021 season.

Mystic Cruises first to use hydrojets on cruise ships

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 15 November 2019 15 November 2019

World Explorer is the first cruise ship to employ hydrojet technology to bring guests closer to marine wildlife by minimizing underwater noise. A technology initially developed for naval warships, the two onboard Schottel SPJ 82 Pump Jets can propel World Explorer at a near-silent cruising speed of five knots without scaring sea life away. Sailing under the Mystic Cruises brand, World Explorer – and sister-ship World Voyager, launching in 2020 – incorporates the hydrojet drive among many innovations that help maximize safety and minimize the ship’s environmental impact when bringing guests to some of the world’s most remote and captivating destinations.

Atlas Ocean Voyages’ World Navigator, launching in 2021, also will be equipped with the innovative propulsion system and other innovative technologies. Atlas Ocean Voyages is the distributor of Mystic Cruises in North America and both are subsidiaries of Mystic Invest Holding.

“Our goal is to build one of the cleanest, safest and quietest ships in our category,” said Mário Ferreira, Chairman of Mystic Invest Holding. “We designed our cruise ships to bring our guests closer to and experience more of a destination, while ensuring that we do our part to help sustain these unparalleled places so we can bring future generations to enjoy them too.”

Unlike propellers, hydrojets diminish vibrations and cavitation and significantly decreases underwater noise. Sea life is highly sensitive to noise – which travels farther and louder in water – and tends to scatter when they hear propeller-only, propulsion ships. Each hydrojet pumps water in and out to produce drive and, like Azipods, can be directed 360 degrees in order to navigate the ship along pristine shorelines or dynamically position by GPS without the use of the ship’s twin four-blade propellers. For a video about how the Schottel SPJ Pump Jet works, please visit https://www.schottel.de/marine-propulsion/spj-pump-jet/.

In some destinations, guests will enjoy the thrill of wet landings aboard one of 18 custom-designed Zodiac MilPro Mark V inflatable boats. To ensure safer gasoline containment, each Zodiac is constructed with a special, reinforced bow chest that accommodates a larger-capacity gasoline bladder to deliver more than three times the average operational range. Each Zodiac also features 12 anti-skid panels – four more than average – to ensure safer guest embarking and disembarking anywhere along the buoyancy tube. Furthermore, World Explorer and her sister ships are designed with an onboard gasoline storage and pumping system that make Zodiac fueling operations even safer.

Conservation is also top of mind. Still and sparkling water in refillable glass bottles are delivered daily to staterooms and suites. Single-use plastics in forms of straws, cups, stirrers, etc. will not be offered and waste that cannot be repurposed or reclaimed will be stored in a dedicated and refrigerated hold for landing with a responsible handler in port.

As previously announced, FarSounder’s Forward-looking Sonar are installed at the front of the 1B-Ice Class certified hulls to ensure safe navigation through harbors, rivers, and ice fields. Each ship is also equipped with two C25:33L8P main engines and a Bergen C25:33L6P auxiliary dual generator. These connect to a low voltage AFE “SAVeCUBE” power electric system, which provides maximum fuel efficiency while operating at variable speeds and consumes as low as one-fifth the marine diesel oil compared to conventional engines.

Atlas Ocean Voyages is a Luxe Adventure cruise brand that is creating a community of new world explorers by delivering authentic and thrill-seeking, once-in-a-lifetime experiences in the world’s most sought-after and remote destinations. Opening for reservation in Jan. 2020, the company’s first ship, World Navigator, will start sailing exciting itineraries in 2021. Atlas Ocean Voyages’ World Navigator will be joined by sister-ships World Traveller, World Adventurer, and World Seeker in 2022 and 2023.

Artania to undergo three week refit at Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 12 November 2019 12 November 2019

Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven said it is expecting Phoenix Reisen’s 213 metre long cruise ship Artania to arrive in its Kaiserdock II on 17 November for a stay lasting about three weeks The Phoenix Reisen flagship is scheduled to leave the shipyard around 6 December.

"This order suits us well" said yard head Rüdiger Pallentin, "and is, to boot, a fine recommendation for the good work we carry out at the Lloyd Werft".

Along with the maintenance and classification work being done by Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven, modernisation in the hotel and cabin sectors is being carried out directly by the owners.

That work, which includes the Pacific Lounge and Jamaica Club, has been put out to tender by the owners. In addition, carpets, furnishings, wallpapers and many other items are being refurbished and newly designed in more than 200 cabins and public areas. Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven is lending logistical support to this work

The 1984 built ship was acquired in 2011 by V Ships subsidiary Artania GmbH and it has been on charter since then with Phoenix Reisen, German company. Following the acquisition by its new owner the ship underwent a comprehensive conversion lasting four weeks in the spring of 2011 at Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven. Five years ago, four new energy-efficient Wärtsilä main engines were installed on the Artania as part of a further comprehensive yard stay at Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven.

The upcoming new contract will mark the fourth occasion on which Lloyd Werft Project Manager Jochen Mehrtens has been involved with this particular cruise ship. "At peak times, I can see as many as 120 yard employees taking part in this project", he said, "added to them will be a colourful array of local supply companies. For those of our employees who are involved currently in a parallel yacht newbuilding project, this contract will come as a welcome change, because we are, after all, a classic repair and conversion shipyard", explained Mehrtens, himself a marine engineer.

"The greatest challenge now will be switching over from the well-organised structure of the newbuilding sector to the extreme flexibility of repair work, because the unexpected happens time and time again during a repair contract. It is my job as project manager to bring structure into tasks that change regularly from one moment to the next so that the contract can be completed for the customer with high quality and within the set time framework".

Elite Exhibitions launches Connected Cruise Ship Expo America

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 11 November 2019 11 November 2019

Connected Cruise Ship Expo (CCS) is the world’s first exhibition and conference to focus exclusively on the latest innovations within the cruise technology, communications, and connectivity sectors. This brand new, highly focused two-day exhibition and conference will provide a much-needed platform for the most innovative suppliers to network with qualified buyers from cruise line companies on a global scale.

Taking place in Miami, the heart of the cruise industry, the inaugural event will launch at the Miami Beach Convention Center on October 13–14, 2020. With a focus on emerging and established technologies, including satellite & antennas, VSAT, telecoms, and other technology which will positively impact guest experience, passenger and crew communication and internal operations like ship performance, CCS is an opportunity to meet with leading suppliers and learn more about the newest industry concepts, all under one roof.

The idea to launch CCS came shortly after Elite Exhibitions’ successful launch of Cruise Ship Interiors Expo America in Miami (June 2019). The words “guest experience” were used frequently by the attendees and exhibitors. It was apparent that the digital aspect of guest experience was a top priority for the cruise lines wanting to attract a younger audience – a demographic keen to remain online throughout their vacation. This new level of connectivity also allows for better crew communication, fleet performance, and increased opportunity for revenue generation.

Toby Walters, CEO at Elite Exhibitions explains the vision for the show further. “Elite Exhibitions have made it our mission to innovate in all industries that we operate in. Cruise Ship Interiors Expo was a resounding success, where for the first time in history we brought together all of the key decision makers. We plan to do exactly that for the technology and communications community. We cannot wait to build this brand-new platform for the industry which will be a refreshing opportunity for all stakeholders.”

The show launches with the full support and backing of an incredible Advisory Board, including Reza Rasoulian, executive consultant for connectivity at Carnival Corporation, Jan Erik Norli, CMO, Telenor Maritime, Jason Grant, VP fleet information technology, Holland America Group, John Polimenakos, VP of IT, Crystal Cruises and Vincenzo Galati, director of performance engineering, Carnival Corporation. Speedcast’s senior vice president, Brent Horwitz, also sits on the board, and had this to say about the show: “Connected Cruise Ship Expo is the first targeted event in the cruise industry, focused on connectivity and emerging technologies that are driving innovation. It is attracting all of the key players from the cruise sector.”

To stay up to date with the latest show news and be the first to know when registrations open, sign up to the newsletter at www.connectedcruiseship-expo.com