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Ten new U.S. ships in three years for American Cruise Lines

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 04 November 2024 04 November 2024

American Cruise Lines has announced that it has signed contracts with Chesapeake Shipbuilding for 4 more new ships, bringing the Line’s total orderbook with Chesapeake to 10 ships over the next 3 years. All the newbuilds are expressly for the U.S. cruise market; the fastest growing segment of the river cruise industry. American Cruise Lines has been a trailblazer in that market for more than 50 years and will operate 21 small ships around the country next year.

The 10 new ships from Chesapeake begin with the delivery of American Legend this week. The newest Coastal Cat in American’s fleet passed sea trials and is on schedule for its first cruise on November 25th. The remaining newbuilds on order will roll out every few months over the next 3 years. They include 3 riverboats and 6 additional coastal ships. Now available for booking are: American Patriot and American Pioneer (2025); American Maverick and American Ranger (2026), and new riverboat American Encore (2026). More details on the 4 additional newbuilds for 2027 will be released soon.

American’s commitment to U.S. River cruising is longstanding, but the rapid expansion of the company’s fleet in just the past several years is demonstrative of the growing interest and demand for world-class cruise experiences in the United States. American has introduced 19 of the 24 cruise ships built in the U.S. in the past 20 years.

The company operates the only 100% U.S. flagged fleet of riverboats and small ships in the world and remains fully committed to introducing only new small ships built specifically for domestic cruising. The company’s unique fleet enables all-domestic river and coastal itineraries that no other lines offer.

American Cruise Lines will operate 21 small ships in 2025; sailing the largest collection of 100% domestic River and Coastal itineraries ever offered in the United States. The company will continue to introduce new ships with top-notch amenities that are unusual for small ships – unlocking amazing new opportunities for cruising closer to home and exploring America year after year.

International Cruise Summit to discuss latest trends in Madrid next week

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 04 November 2024 04 November 2024

The cruise industry is moving full steam ahead and is set to close the year with 34.7 million global passengers, marking a 17% growth over 2019 figures. A testament to this growth is the order of 27 new ships to be built in 2024.

The strict emissions regulations implemented in 2020 have led all ships to cut their emissions by 85%. Although recent studies confirm that the impact on air quality in cities visited by cruises is minimal, cruise lines are waiting for ports to invest in shore power supplies so that ships can connect and turn off engines, aiding their goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Leading international cruise industry professionals will meet in Madrid on 12-13 November to discuss these and other issues at the fourteenth edition of the International Cruise Summit, the prestigious annual conference held at the Hotel Meliá Castilla.

Over two days, several round tables and presentations will explore and debate the latest trends and challenges facing the sector, including new electronic information requirements for entering European borders, port investment priorities, and crisis management. Several new cruise lines will be introduced, including the legendary Orient Express Silenseas, the first Arab cruise line Aroya Cruises, and Spanish brand Alma Cruceros, which will begin operations next year.

Additional topics will cover the impact of artificial intelligence in the sector, chartering of cruise ships, and entrepreneurship in the industry, along with the increasing trend for some cruises to stay overnight in port. Health topics will also be addressed, including dialysis treatments on board, which allow hundreds of passengers with renal insufficiency to cruise.

Top Executives, international cruise line representatives, port authorities, travel agents, companies, and industry experts will attend one of the world’s most important cruise conferences. The event will feature prominent speakers from the executive leadership of cruise companies, including Andrea Kruse, CEO of VIVA Cruises; Dr. Jorg Rudolph, President of Aroya Cruises; Eithne Williamson, Vice President for the UK and Europe at Princess Cruises; Leonardo Massa, Vice President for Southern Europe of MSC Group’s Cruise Division; Birgit Vadlau, Vice President of Hotel Operations at Silversea Cruises; Giles Hawke, Vice President & Managing Director EMEA at Celebrity Cruises; as well as Kelly Craighead, President and CEO of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), Simone Maraschi, President of Cruise Europe, and Theodora Riga, President of MedCruise; among others.

Ten years old Meyer Turku aims for carbon-neutral shipbuilding

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 30 October 2024 30 October 2024

This autumn, it was ten years since the Meyer family's shipbuilding company became the host of the Turku shipyard. Over the past years, the shipyard has, typically for the industry, experienced both victories and challenges. In the anniversary year, the direction of Meyer Turku however remains clear: Both the world's most advanced cruise ships and the shipyard's own operations aim for carbon neutrality.

CEO Tim Meye said: "We are proud to continue Turku's shipbuilding tradition dating back to 1737. The acquisition we made ten years ago was mainly based on two grounds: First, Turku has a long shipbuilding tradition and world-class know-how. The people of Meyer Turku and of the entire network form a community, the like of which is impossible to build in a short time. Secondly, thanks to the former, it is possible to build very large ships in Turku.

In today's situation, where we are building the world's most advanced ships and pioneering in green transition, we are also constantly looking for more experts and employees for various tasks. We are committed to remaining owners of the Turku shipyard and to continuing the joint journey with all our partners towards increasingly sustainable shipbuilding. I am aiming at adding another zero behind the 1 in Meyer Turku's age."

During its ownership, the Meyer family company has invested roughly 300 million euros in the development of the Turku shipyard and daughter companies. Changes have been made to the shipyard's crane fleet, hull production and to the premises of network companies. The daughter company Piikkio Works has also received new production facility for its modular cabin factory in Piikkiö.

Meyer Turku's anniversary has been celebrated among others with a staff party and by opening an updated shipbuilding exhibition at Forum Marinum.

Ponant receives European Commission grant for its Swap2Zero project

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 30 October 2024 30 October 2024

Ponant has announced its selection for the INNOVFUND support for its Swap2Zero project, the first transoceanic ship aimed at carbon neutrality. This aid, granted by the European Commission and financed by revenue from the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), is one of the world’s largest funding programs for the deployment of innovative low-carbon energies technologies.

This decision marks a milestone in the recognition Ponant is garnering for its efforts to accelerate the cruise sector’s transition to decarbonization, while also highlighting the commitment of the entire industrial sector mobilized in France to anticipate the challenges of decarbonization expected by 2050. This initiative has also received support from the French government and the French Public Investment Bank (BPI) as part of the CORIMER 20231 calls for expressions of interest as Ponant’s ambitions are fully aligned with the goals set by France 2030 and the ‘Green Ship’ roadmap - aimed at accelerating transformations and the deployment of technological solutions within the maritime industry.

“Getting this grant sends a very encouraging message to teams working on this ambitious decarbonisation project. The recognition acknowledges PONANT’s pioneering spirit. With the Swap2Zero project we are building a showcase of French technology around the first zero-emission ship in operation,” says Patrick Augier, General Secretary of Ponant.

This grant validates years of research and development driven by Ponant’s R&D and New Building engineers, orchestrated by Director Mathieu Petiteau, and affirms the Swap2Zero project, which aims at zero CO22 emissions in operation with one-month autonomy, tied to six groundbreaking decarbonization technologies as building blocks:

1. A sail power system and hull providing 50% of the propulsion energy using the force of the wind.
2. A surface area totaling over 1,000m2 of next-generation, eco-designed photovoltaic panels produced in France.
3. A low temperature fuel cell operating on liquid hydrogen for propulsion, where the water and heat produced is recycled.
4. A high temperature fuel cell to meet the ship’s hotel load needs, with the heat emitted being recovered and used to produce hot water.
5. On-board carbon capture technology, coupled with the high temperature fuel cell.
6. An innovative bespoke energy management system to control and distribute power without generators being in service.

With this financial support, Ponant strengthens its position as the leader in the maritime ecological transition and continues its ambitious program to have a decarbonized ship by 2030. With the Swap2Zero project’s strong replicability potential to speed up decarbonization of the shipping industry, the company also further contributes to the development of innovative solutions for more sustainable tourism.

Antarctica21 and HIF Global collaborate to pioneer the use of e-Fuels in Antarctica

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 28 October 2024 28 October 2024

Antarctica21, a leading tourism operator of air-cruise expeditions to Antarctica, has announced a new collaboration with HIF Global, a world leader in e-Fuel production. This exclusive agreement marks a significant step toward sustainable tourism in Antarctica, as Antarctica21 becomes the first company in the cruise industry to integrate synthetic gasoline into its operations on the White Continent.

E-Fuel, a synthetic fuel produced from green hydrogen and recycled CO₂ thanks to wind energy, offers a promising alternative by being chemically equivalent to current gasoline. It requires no modifications to engines or existing infrastructure, thereby supporting global decarbonization goals.

The partnership is the first step in Antarctica21’s ambitious plan to shift its operations toward the exclusive use of e-Fuels. At a ceremony in Punta Arenas, in southern Chile, on October 25, 2024, Antarctica21 and HIF Global signed an agreement whereby e-Gasoline will be tested for the operation of Zodiacs by Antarctica21's flagship expedition vessel, Magellan Explorer. In the following years, Antarctica21 plans to expand the use of e-Fuels to include synthetic Marine Gas Oil (e-MGO) to power Magellan Explorer’s main engines, as well as synthetic jet fuel for air operations, achieving full alignment between the company's fuel usage and its sustainability goals.

The e-Fuel used for this partnership is locally sourced from HIF Global's Haru Oni plant in Punta Arenas, in Chile’s Magallanes Region, where the company produces e-Fuel for various industrial applications. The plant's innovative approach has the potential to position Chile as a key element in the global energy transition.

Jaime Vásquez, President of Antarctica21, said: "We are delighted to be at the forefront of the quest for alternative energy solutions. The strategic partnership between Antarctica21 and HIF aligns with our ongoing sustainability initiatives, which encompass energy-efficient practices and a comprehensive carbon offsetting and certification program. By integrating e-Fuel into our operations, we are paving the way toward a more sustainable future for Antarctic tourism, while helping drive innovation in marine fuel alternatives."

Víctor Turpaud, CEO of HIF Latam, stated: "This agreement is a concrete step that reaffirms our commitment to decarbonizing the planet. Our e-Fuels can make a difference today, not only transforming regional tourism but also contributing to a sustainable future in the White Continent."