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MSC Cruises takes delivery of MSC Seashore from Fincantieri

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 26 July 2021 26 July 2021

The Cruise Division of MSC Group today officially took delivery of its new flagship MSC Seashore – the largest cruise ship to be built in Italy. Sister ship MSC Seascape is currently under construction at the Monfalcone shipyard and is due to come into service in winter 2022.

An intimate ceremony was held to mark the occasion as tradition dictates at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone and was attended in person by MSC Cruises Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago, other members of the Aponte and Aponte-Vago families, Giampiero Massolo and Giuseppe Bono, Chairman and CEO of Fincantieri, as well as representatives from MSC’s new builds team along with executives and workers from the shipyard. During the ceremony, which pays tribute to centuries-old maritime traditions, Roberto Olivari, Fincantieri’s shipyard director, presented to Giuseppe Galano, Master of MSC Seashore, an ampoule containing the water that first touched the hull when the ship was floated out earlier this year.

Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group, commented: “The construction of MSC Seashore is an investment that generates an direct and indirect economic impact of almost 5 billion euros on the Italian economy. At the same time, its coming into service also activates an important economic and employment driver for coastal communities and much beyond, generating a further significant economic impact every year for the tourism industry."

“Our new flagship is further testament to our leadership in sustainability, with each new ship featuring the latest and most advanced environmental technology and solutions. Additionally, over and above our industry-leading health and safety protocol, MSC Seashore is the first cruise ship in the world to feature a new and ground-breaking air sanitation system. ‘Safe Air’ uses UV-C lamp technology, eliminating 99% of viruses and bacteria to guarantee clean and safe air for all guests and crew on board.

Pierfrancesco Vago continued, “MSC Seashore also demonstrates our commitment to continuous innovation in terms of guest experience. She is without doubt our most stunning and sophisticated vessel to date and takes to a whole new level the already successful Seaside platform, with public spaces completely reimagined, a new secondary lounge and a broader offering both in terms of restaurants and retail options amongst many other new and much improved features. This will create a unique onboard experience for our guests this Summer in the Mediterranean and during the Winter season when she will move to Miami to represent our full brand values with North American consumers.”

Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, stated, “MSC Seashore is the fourth cruise ship that we have delivered in Italy during this still extremely demanding year, demonstrating the effectiveness of our production and management system. All these milestones, and others to come, have been successfully achieved and this is never taken for granted. This is why I consider this ship not only the best symbol of recovery for the whole cruise sector, but also of the capability of the Group to leverage its competences and soundness to fully preserve our workload.”

Lindblad names National Geographic Endurance in Iceland

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 25 July 2021 25 July 2021

Lindblad Expeditions officially launched the newest addition to their fleet, National Geographic Endurance, at a dockside christening ceremony in Reykjavik, Iceland on July 22nd, the first christening of an international vessel in Reykjavík Harbor.

The occasion, a closed ceremony exclusively for Lindblad Expeditions guests, marked a major milestone for the line as the first polar new build in the company’s history.

Named to honor legendary explorer Ernest Shackleton, National Geographic Endurance embodies every innovation and concept Lindblad Expeditions has developed in 50+ years of pioneering expedition travel.

Sven Lindblad, Founder and Co-Chair of the board of Lindblad Expeditions, and Dolf Berle, CEO, presided over the christening, joined by the ship’s Captain, Aaron Wood. The ceremony kicked off with a special video highlighting the making of National Geographic Endurance, her construction to her completion in the top shipbuilding capitals of the world, and the extraordinary polar environments she will explore.

“The energy, the enthusiasm, the dedication that has been put in to the making of this ship was for one purpose only - to make it possible for you folks to go out and explore the world, and to appreciate the world and all its wonders and then to face together some of the challenges that we inevitably must as it relates to the natural world.” Lindblad, showing genuine emotion, concluded his remarks with, “I have not seen the ship since January of 2020, and arriving today and walking through, it just took my breath away. I really hope you like this ship.”

Dolf Berle focused on his gratitude to all of the guests and the Lindblad Expeditions team. “What was wonderful for me to witness was a number of you meeting staff from our ships that you knew, sometimes more than ten years ago, and so there is a family feeling already, and that is a big part of who we are. The environmental aspect of what we are doing, and the importance of this ship to promote research, raise funds for Pristine Seas, and for the people in the communities we explore, carries on the great Lindblad tradition.”

“It’s an absolute honor to stand here as captain of this wonderful ship, on this special day. All of us as crew members aboard the ship and the wider Lindblad family, we have waited for so long for this moment,” noted Captain Wood. “The ideas that we have inside the ship, they have been coming, not just for years, they have been coming for decades, for whole careers. And this vessel is the pinnacle of all of that.”

Following remarks, Jen Martin, Director of Field Staff & Expedition Development, and Ana Esteves, Director, Hotel Operations, proceeded to the bow for the traditional toast and breaking of the champagne bottle. Guests enjoyed champagne and canapes dockside while listening to Icelandic musicians before embarking on an special 19-day inaugural itinerary exploring Iceland and Greenland.

The inaugural voyage also marks the opening of CHANGE, the world’s first permanent ship-based installation of drawings, paintings, video, photography, and sculpture, curated by artist Zaria Forman. The exhibit features a wide range of artists dedicated to examining and expressing responses to vulnerable polar geographies—to give guests the richest polar experience possible.

A fully stabilized vessel of the highest ice class (PC5 Category A), she will enable adventurous guests to go where few have or can. National Geographic Endurance’s most striking exterior feature is her distinctive profile, the patented X-Bow, a game-changing design that guarantees the smoothest, most comfortable ride in all kinds of conditions; and since it eliminates bow impact, a quieter ride, as well. An equally impressive feature may well be her capacity: she carries just 126 guests, a commitment to expedition excellence over scale. Scandinavian-inflected, luxuriously appointed, her inviting interiors would be a destination in themselves. Because she is a Lindblad Expeditions ship, however, her attention is focused on the world outside – with acres of window glass to keep you connected to the stunning views beyond the pane, and a fleet of expedition tools to get you out exploring.
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MSC Group and Fincantieri partner for construction of new cruise terminal at PortMiami

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 08 July 2021 08 July 2021

Today the Cruise Division of MSC Group and Fincantieri announced the signing of a contract with Fincantieri Infrastructure Florida for the construction of a new mega cruise terminal at PortMiami, the cruise industry’s hub in North America and the Caribbean.

The new terminal reflects an investment of approximately EUR 350 million (≈$450 million USD) and will be made up of a multi-level central body to serve as many as three latest generation ships at the same time, with up to 36,000 travelers transiting every day. Designed by the award-winning global architecture firm Arquitectonica, the terminal is due to be completed by December 2023.

The new terminal will be able to accommodate the Company’s largest and most environmentally high-performing cruise ships. These include MSC Cruises’ newest flagship MSC Seashore, which is currently nearing completion at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone and due to begin cruising from Miami this November, as well as the line’s future LNG-powered World Class ships.

In line with PortMiami’s plans to enable shore power connectivity, the Company’s ships deployed there will be ready to plug in to the local power grid at berth.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group, said: “For the past 35 years MSC Group has been an important partner for the U.S. economy through our growing role as one of the world’s leading container shipping businesses as well as terminal operators for cargo and passengers alike. In this, Miami has always been a key hub and the new MSC Terminal at PortMiami consolidates our overall presence in this important maritime center.

Thanks to the Italian flair that Fincantieri will undoubtedly contribute to this project just like they do to many of our ships, this new state-of-the-art terminal will become a Miami landmark of style as well as comfort for passengers passing through what’s considered the cruise capital of the world. Moreover, it will serve as a platform to support and sustain the expansion of our Cruise Division across the region and in the Caribbean for years to come. It will also allow us to deploy there some of our most modern and environmentally high-performing vessels, representing together with our other investments in the U.S. our commitment to the local market, our trade partners and guests.”

Giuseppe Bono, Fincantieri CEO, commented: ““Miami is undoubtedly the center of world cruise tourism, as well as being the ideal hub for the entire Caribbean area, and is therefore the perfect showcase to host a work that will be representative of the best of made in Italy.”

In addition to state-of-the-art facilities for passenger services, the new terminal building will include office areas, a multi-level parking for at least 2,400 vehicles and a new road connection.

As per the terms of the project, the Company will construct two new docks measuring 2,461 ft. in total. The Miami-Dade County will also build a third berth.

The project also foresees the construction of the related seashore infrastructure, including water supply stations and four passenger embarkation decks.

Latest forecast finds 'big three' could have less than 50% of capacity back in service by year end

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 08 July 2021 08 July 2021

A restart to full operations can’t come soon enough for cruise lines, whose financial position has become increasingly precarious given high debt levels incurred from fleet expansions and the fundraising required to survive the current crisis.

The latest cruise market report from Maritime Strategies International finds that net revenue losses for the ‘big three’ lines (Carnival, NCLH and RCI) in 2020 and Q1 21 almost match the accumulated net revenue gains of the preceding five-year period.

The scale of the problem facing the cruise lines – and the entire tourism sector – was laid out by the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) earlier this year when it pointed out that two-thirds of the world’s destinations were still either completely (32%) or partially (34%) closed to international tourists.

Last year’s collapse in international tourist arrivals (which fell 74% year on year) led to estimated tourism revenue losses of $1.3 trillion globally, with recovery back to 2019 levels not expected until 2023.

According to MSI’s calculations, the big three cruise groups should have approximately 45% of their capacity back in operation by the end of this year, equivalent to approximately 20% on an annual average basis. This forecast draws on data published by J.P. Morgan in early June which compiles start-up dates and deployment on a vessel-by-vessel basis for the three big cruise groups.

The shape of the recovery in international tourist arrivals projected by the UNWTO is largely consistent with MSI cruise passenger forecast. However MSI’s analysis is based on pre-pandemic lower berth capacity and as such does not factor any negative adjustments to berth capacity as a consequence of Covid-related social distancing requirements.

“Prospective US cruise passenger numbers will only top the 2020 total by 1 million and so be just a third of the record 2019 total of 15.4 million out of a global total of 30 million passengers,” says Niklas Carlen, Director, MSI. “It will be a similar story for the European sector which will see passenger numbers grow slightly this year for a total also about a third of the 2019 one. On lower base figures, Asia and Oceania will recover more quickly but it is likely that the global total will be just over a third of that achieved in 2019.”

The speed and scale of the resumption of international tourism will depend almost entirely on the decisions and policies of governments around the world. But, assuming the vaccination roll-outs continue to reduce the impact of the virus and are extended to more countries around the world, there is no reason why cruise recovery should not accelerate through 2022 so that 2019 levels are largely matched in 2023, MSI concludes.

Photo: Freedom of the Seas was the first Royal Caribbean International ship to sail from the U.S. port on July 2.

VARD to construct residential "yacht liner" Somnio

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 28 June 2021 28 June 2021

VARD, one of the world’s major designers and shipbuilders of specialized vessels, has secured the contract for the construction of Somnio, the world’s first residential “yacht liner”, finished to the highest possible standards. "Somnio will be one of a kind and recognizable as the new standard bearer of superyacht design. The yacht liner will have a gross tonnage of 33,500 gross tons, a length of 222 meters, and a beam of 27 meters," VARD said in a statement.

Somnio has just 39 luxurious apartments onboard and will sail the world according to owners’ wishes.

The yacht liner, which will comply with the highest safety, environmental and operational standards and rules, is the result of a close cooperation among Somnio, Fincantieri and VARD.

Somnio has selected two of the world’s foremost architectural and design studios for the project, Tillberg Design of Sweden and Winch Design from the United Kingdom. Delivery is due in Norway in Spring 2024.

Captain Erik Bredhe, co-founder of Somnio, said: “We are delighted to have chosen the highly- experienced team at VARD for this unique project. Somnio, meaning “to dream” in Latin, will be the largest yacht in the world by length and volume, and offer apartment owners the finest quality available at sea. We are really looking forward to seeing this beautiful yacht liner sail in 2024.”

General Manager for Business Unit Cruise in VARD, Attilio Dapelo says: “We are proud of having been selected to build this amazing yacht liner for Somnio. The vessel will be the largest vessel so far in VARD’s history and will engage a high number of designers and shipbuilders in VARD’s network of specialized international facilities.”

Newbuilding General Manager for Business Unit Cruise in Fincantieri, Daniele Fanara says: “Once again Fincantieri group, offering to owners the expertise achieved with the development of the widest and most diversified portfolio of maritime products worldwide, is the first to develop groundbreaking designs for new market segments and niches. Our teams have strictly cooperated with Somnio and with their architects. The result is really outstanding and will set the standard for a new niche of top luxury vacations.”

The yacht liner is to be delivered from Vard Søviknes in Norway. The hull, and the first phase of outfitting, will be performed at Vard Tulcea in Romania. Other key players in the project are VARD’s parent company Fincantieri, Vard Design, and Vard Electro. A broad range of suppliers and contractors in the Norwegian Maritime Cluster will also be involved in the project.

Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing in VARD, Rune Rødset commented: “During my 37 years in VARD, I have had many dreams. However, the satisfaction of bringing home the contract of Somnio, clearly exceeds all of what I was hoping for.”