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Celebrity Constellation pulled to Tampa from Arabian Gulf and Far East

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 13 August 2019 13 August 2019

Celebrity Cruises has decided to axe planned programme of Celebrity Constellation in the Arabian Gulf and Far East and the ship is to cruise in the Caribbean in the winter 2019-20 instead.

The ship had been due to sail from Civitavecchia in Italy on 18 November for a 15 night cruise to Dubai. From there, it had been scheduled to operate 15 night cruises to Singapore, from where the itinerary would work in reverse order on 15 night cruises back to Dubai.

These cruises, which would have required a passage through the Straits of Hormuz in each direction had been intended to operate until March 2020, when the ship would have sailed to Civitavecchia from Dubai.

P&O Cruises, which is part of the Carnival group, recently cancelled a series of winter 2019-20 cruises of Oceana in Arabian Gulf from Dubai, citing security considerations in the area as the reason. The ship will operate from Southampton in the UK instead.

Celebrity Constellation will operate a series of 10 and 11 night Caribbean cruises from Tampa. “Our guests and travel advisors have been asking us to return to Tampa since our last call there in 2007,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, President and CEO, Celebrity Cruises, in a statement. The company is part of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL) group.

Recent construction and development in Tampa Bay aims to create a truly dynamic, urban lifestyle for workers, residents and visitors alike. The city’s downtown waterfront is currently being transformed through the $3 billion Water Street project. The 50-acre district will feature retail, offices, homes, hotels, culture and education.

Transformation of Tampa’s urban core was enhanced by the completion of the Tampa Riverwalk, an area now seeing hundreds of millions of dollars in private investments. In addition, historic Ybor’s City’s revitalization further adds to Tampa’s uniqueness as a robust and desirable world-class destination.

CSA 2020 welcomes study that supports scrubbers as best way to tackle CO2 emissions

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

Members of the Clean Shipping Alliance (CSA) 2020 have welcomed a new addition to the canon of scientific literature relating to exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS), the latest of which indicates that continued use of residual fuels with a scrubber can help towards global CO2 reduction, the organisation said in a statement.

In a study published in June by Norway’s SINTEF, one of Europe’s largest independent research organisations, Chief Scientist Dr Elizabeth Lindstad concluded that from well-to-wake the continued use of HSFO or HFO (heavy fuel oil) with an EGCS is the most environmentally beneficial means of meeting global Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets.

After detailing findings from research involving full scale testing on a number of newbuild vessels, Dr Lindstad told CSA 2020 that: “[Studies] indicate that two-stroke engines with Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) and scrubbers represent the most cost- and GHG-effective way of meeting both IMO Tier 3 NOx rules and the 2020 sulphur cap.

Dr Lindstad stated that based on the energy consumed during the global production of distillate fuels, the continued use of residual fuel will have a positive impact on global GHG emissions, given the energy required to produce distillates would result in higher levels of CO2 being released into the atmosphere.

“With new modern refineries set up to convert crude into higher priced products, HSFO will, from 2020, be delivered from existing refineries where its share of energy consumption can be considered to be next to nothing. The explanation is that the heavy bunker oil coming out from the refinery is the bottom of the barrel. If we acknowledge the lower energy consumption in delivering HSFO and deduct the refining we get 9 to 10g of CO2 equivalent per MJ for HFO, rather than 13 to 15 of CO2 equivalent per MJ for LSFO/MGO.”

Dr Lindstad also believes that emissions abatement rules need to be reviewed to consider pollution problems in different areas.

“To meet climate targets, i.e. reduce global GHG emissions, we can no longer afford to have standards that are strict in areas where we do not have local pollution problems, while areas with high pollution may need even stricter rules than today,” Dr Lindstad told CSA 2020.

Ian Adams, CSA2020 Executive Director, said the industry has long realised that there is an energy penalty differential in the production of fuels.

“Using higher sulphur fuels with an exhaust gas cleaning system will have a beneficial impact on the global reduction of sulphur and nitrogen oxides emissions, and also on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,” said Adams.

But that’s not all: according to Adams there is also a significant benefit from reduced particulates in emissions. “With reduced particulates in exhaust emissions of 75% or more, the combination of dramatically reduced SOx and particulates makes a big difference in improved air quality and lower health risks,” he said.

“This study provides further scientific evidence that both local SOx and NOx to air and global CO2 emissions will be reduced by the expanded use of HFO with exhaust gas cleaning systems in the marine fleet, with benefits to the marine and port environments and, of course, human health.”

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines appoints Peter Deer as Managing Director

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

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, the UK based destination focused cruise line that operates four medium sized ships, said it has appointed Peter Deer as its new Managing Director, with effect from 1 September 2019.

Peter will take over as Managing Director from Mike Rodwell, who will be retiring from Fred. Olsen on 31st August 2019, after over 30 years with the company.

Based at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Head Office in Ipswich, Suffolk, Peter will take overall responsibility for overseeing and managing the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ operation, which covers over 220 staff in Ipswich and over 2,000 crew members across the Fred. Olsen fleet of four ocean cruise ships.

Peter joined Fred. Olsen in 1993, as an Accountant. He went on to become Chief Accountant, before taking up a role as Financial Director of a Kent-based fruit shipping business in 1998. Peter returned to Fred. Olsen in 2004, this time as Commercial Director.

Speaking of his new role, Peter Deer said: “We have a first-class team, both ashore and afloat, dedicated to providing fabulous holidays, and I am proud to be leading the Fred. Olsen journey.

“The UK cruise market will continue to grow, as many more people try ‘taster’ cruises for the first time and realise that cruising offers a diverse range of experiences. Fred. Olsen’s friendly, more intimate ships are all about delivering memorable holidays and getting to know our customers by name.”

Fred. Olsen Junior, Chairman of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We are a proud, family-run company that offers a cruise experience like no other, and I am very pleased that Peter Deer will be taking the helm from Mike Rodwell, to continue his legacy and lead our brand. Peter has a breadth of knowledge and expertise in the travel and cruise industries, and I look forward to working with him in his new role to take the business to the next level.”

Cruise ships to Venice to be diverted from scenic Giudecca Canal – report

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 08 August 2019 08 August 2019

Cruise ships on their way into and out of Venice would be gradually diverted away from the scenic Giudecca Canal, the Financial Times reports.

“Danilo Toninelli, minister for transport, said on Wednesday that the cruise ships would gradually be diverted away from the existing route,” the London based paper said on its website..

Toninelli was xcited as saying he had been looking for a variety of temporary ports “to avoid witnessing more invasions of the Giudecca by these floating palaces, with the scandals and risks that they bring”.

Starting from next month until the end of the year, the minister said that some liners would dock at Fusina and Lombardia terminals away from the centre of Venice but still inside the city’s lagoon. By next year a third of cruise ships will be rerouted, the report said.

Many local residents have objected to the large cruise ships sailing through the Giudecca Canal that passes major landmarks, such as St Mark’s Square.

P&O Cruises cancels Oceana’s 2019-20 Arabian Gulf programme

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 08 August 2019 08 August 2019

P&O Cruises, which is part of the Carnival Corporation & plc group, has decided to cancel the 2019-20 Arabian Gulf cruise programme of the 77,441 gross ton Oceana that flies the British flag.

This would have been the second time, the ship would have operated in the region, based in Dubai.

However, rising tensions in the region after Iran seized the British flag tanker Stena Impero last month resulted in the cancellation of the programme.

Britain has an 4,900 ton frigate called HMS Montrose and an 8,500 ton destroyers, the HMS Duncan, in the region that are now tasked with escort duties of merchant ships through the Straits of Hormuz, plus facilities in Bahrain and Oman to service them.

A few weeks ago, Marella Cruises that is the UK based cruise unit of TUI AG said it would position a second ship in the Arabian Gulf for the 2020-21 season. Although it caters for the British market, its ships fly the flag of Malta.

Meanwhile, Dubai expected 211 calls for the 2019-20 season, an increase from 152 in the previous one prior to the withdrawal of Oceana from the region, Menafn. Com reports. The ship’s new winter programme would be published later this month.