Top Headlines

ITF gives seafarers right to stop work, leave ship, go home as crew exchange, repatriation crisis escalates

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 16 June 2020 16 June 2020

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), the London based global labour union ceiling organisation, and its affiliated seafarers’ unions will now assist hundreds of thousands of seafarers to exercise their right to stop working, leave ships, and return home, ITF said in a statement.

The new approach, which could be highly disruptive to global trade, comes after insufficient action by governments to designate seafarers as ‘key workers’, exempt them from Covid-19 travel restrictions and facilitate repatriation of around 200,000 seafarers who have been caught up in the crew change crisis, said ITF Seafarers’ Section Chair Dave Heindel said in the statement.

Cruise ship operators had thousands of seafarers onboard ships that are in lay up due to the crisis and efforts to repatriate them have been both time consuming and challenging, media reports say.

“We are sending a very strong message to seafarers: you have selflessly extended and extended your contracts to do your part to keep critical supplies flowing around the world during this pandemic. Some seafarers have been onboard for more than a year, and over the course of this pandemic many have been prevented by governments from coming ashore even for a walk and alarmingly refused emergency medical care. Frankly, we have seafarers killing themselves at the prospect of this misery continuing without end. They call them ‘floating prisons’. This situation is intolerable to the ITF family,” said Heindel

ITF President and Dockers’ Section chair Paddy Crumlin reiterated the repeated warnings given to governments from unions and industry of this unfolding humanitarian crisis: “We have urged them on the consequences of tired, fatigued, depressed crew – to trade, to the environment. We have worked with industry and the international community to offer solutions.”

“But enough is enough. We have to draw a line in the sand and today is the day that we make it crystal clear to governments, that from June 16, seafarers are going to start enforcing their right to stop working and to return home. No more contract extensions.” said Crumlin.

ITF General Secretary Steve Cotton said all that governments need to do is make practical exceptions to coronavirus restrictions, and allow these key workers to transit through their territories and return to their families. A few small changes by national governments would allow seafarers to get home, and be relieved by a fresh crew, he said.

“If a seafarers wants off a ship, then the ITF, our affiliated unions and the ITF inspectorate will do everything we can to assist them. We fully expect port state authorities in all countries where ships dock to honour their obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention to get these seafarers safely home. That is their legal obligation,”

“If getting seafarers off these ships causes chaos in supply chains, if ports back up from Singapore to San Francisco, and if this causes ship insurance providers to pull their coverage and global trade to grind to a halt; then that is on the heads of politicians, not the world’s seafarers,”

“Seafarers have done our part in this pandemic, and plenty more. Enough is enough,” said Steve Cotton.

Background on the crew change crisis:

The ITF, our affiliates, and our social partners have been clear in our warnings about the consequences of governments and their officials ignoring the escalating crew change crisis:

19 March: ITF agreed to crew contract extensions due to unprecedented pandemic, where crew consent

7 April: ITF and employers told G20 leaders to facilitate essential movement of seafarers

9 April: Maritime unions and employers called on governments to identify seafarers as key workers and facilitate crew changes

27 April: ITF, employers called out governments for denying medical assistance ashore for seafarers

6 May: Industry-union 12-step solution for crew change is adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which starts advocating for the protocols to governments and internationally

14 May: The ITF and Joint Negotiating Group (JNG) representing employers, including the International Maritime Employers Council, release a joint statement calling for government action and set a final 30 day implementation deadline to June 15

22 May: The UN Secretary General was urged by global union and shipping leaders to governments to act urgently

28 May: ILO, IMO and ICAO urge governments to act on crew change, ‘key worker’ status

12 June: UN backs ITF, international calls for key workers status over crew change crisis

Svalbard reopens for expedition cruises

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 12 June 2020 12 June 2020

Today, the Norwegian Government announced that expedition cruise operations will be allowed again in Svalbard with certain rigorous conditions. The decision is based in part on thorough work on providing infection control guidelines for the expedition cruise industry which has been carried out by several governmental institutions and local stakeholders in collaboration with AECO, the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators. AECO’s executive director, Frigg Jørgensen is very pleased:

"We are thrilled that the Norwegian Government and local stakeholders are demonstrating determination, willingness and cooperation to open for expedition cruises in Svalbard again, which is a vital contributor to local tourism economies."

The infection control industry guidelines for expedition cruises in Svalbard builds on comparable general tourism industry guidelines for Svalbard, which the authorities earlier have prepared in close collaboration with Visit Svalbard, the local tourist office in Longyearbyen.

The reopening will take place within already existing national rules for entry and mandatory quarantine obligations which stipulate, for instance, that during a phased approach residents in Norway – and from June 15 residents from Nordic countries with some exemptions – can travel to Svalbard.

Strict measures

Both the authorities and the cruise industry take proper contamination protection measures very seriously and therefore very strict criteria will have to be met by expedition cruise operators during the first phase of reopening. Jørgensen clarifies:

"This includes, for example, a requirement of only carrying half of a vessel’s maximum passenger capacity, increased numbers of medical staff onboard and guest health certificates, among other requirements. Each cruise operator will need to develop and apply individual plans based on the infection control industry guidelines, which then will be considered by the Governor of Svalbard," says Frigg Jørgensen, and adds:

"It will take time before all cruise operations – as we knew them – can be resumed, but this cautious, phased and responsible beginning with expedition cruise tourism in Norway and Svalbard is a very important step for the expedition cruise industry and everyone affected by the halt in operations. This is a beginning that that gives hope for industry, and for other. destinations."

The comprehensive work that resulted in a nearly 100-page infection control guideline document has been carried out in a close collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Care and the Ministry of Justice’s Department for Polar Affairs, while the Governor of Svalbard as chair of the Svalbard Preparedness Council has coordinated the work locally. With the involvement of the Longyearbyen Hospital, the University Hospital in Northern Norway, Longyearbyen Local Government, Longyearbyen Business Association and Visit Svalbard, AECO has put the infection control guidelines to paper.

"AECO is tremendously pleased with the cooperation with these entities, public and private, and we cannot praise the Norwegian authorities enough for the efforts and goodwill that they have demonstrated to achieve this important step in the right direction," Frigg Jørgensen ends.

Hurtigruten to offer year-round Norway cruises from Dover, Hamburg and Bergen from 2021

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 11 June 2020 11 June 2020

Hurtigruten, the Norwegian expedition cruise line, said it would offer a new way to explore the Norwegian coast - with full-year departures directly from Dover in the UK, Hamburg in Germany and plus Bergen in Norway.

The company will use three ships that will be completely rebuilt, including their propulsion system, and renamed prior to their entry into service on these itineraries.

“Powered with biofuel and packed with green technology, three small, custom-built Hurtigruten expedition cruise ships will operate expedition voyages along the Norwegian coast – with year-round departures from Dover, Hamburg and Bergen starting from January 2021,” the company said in a statement.

“We have seen an increasing demand for closer-to-home departures. We expect this to further increase in the wake of COVID-19. To give our guests even more flexibility, we have decided to expand our offering with year-round expedition cruise programs from both UK, Germany and Norway,” Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam says.

From Dover, Maud, currently Midnatsol, will offer guests a special winter itinerary, maximizing time above the Arctic circle to enjoy spectacular northern lights – including an overnight stay in Tromsø.

During the summer months, Hurtigruten’s Norway expedition cruises will take guests to North Cape and back, exploring fjords, mountains and the Lofoten Islands. In addition, Hurtigruten offers two brand new summer itineraries from Dover: One exploring the British Isles, the other to off-the-beaten-track destinations in Southern Scandinavia.

Also to be fully upgraded, Otto Sverdrup, currently Finnmarken, will take guests from Hamburg on two different summer- and winter itineraries to the North Cape and back. Maximizing time above the Arctic circle during the winter means guests can enjoy spectacular Northern Lights, while tender pits and small boats means guests can explore off-the-beaten track destinations year-round – in addition to favorites such as Lofoten and Norwegian fjords.

From Bergen, Hurtigruten will offer year-round departures with Trollfjord, one of the most popular ships in Hurtigruten’s fleet. Sailing directly from the fjord capital of Bergen, Trollfjord will maximize the time spent exploring the Norwegian coastline to North Cape and back, including off-the-beaten-track destinations such as Reine in Lofoten, Fjærland and Træna.

Operating the Norwegian coast continuously since 1893, Hurtigruten has longer and more in-depth experience on the spectacular Norwegian coastline than any other cruise lines. Hurtigruten is also the only operator to offer year-round cruises on the Norwegian coast.

The new itineraries are handcrafted by Hurtigruten experts, with flexibility in mind. Offering more time in port for more in-depth experiences, the itineraries change with the seasons to take best advantage of the unique experiences offered in different times of year, either under the Midnight Sun in the seemingly eternal summer days, or below the colourful Northern Lights on dark polar nights.

“We put a lot of pride into handpicking the destinations and crafting the itineraries. We wanted to make sure guests can enjoy Norway like never before, to go deep into fjords, enjoy remote nature, see amazing wildlife and charming coastal cities, towns and villages while avoiding the mass tourism crowds,” Skjeldam said.

Exclusive: Residential cruise vessel differs quite a bit from ordinary cruise ship

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 10 June 2020 10 June 2020

To design a vessel with residences onboard differs quite a bit from work on a cruise ship, summed up Nahal Kadora, Senior Designer at Tillberg Design of Sweden (TDoS).

“The initial approach is similar, with some of the same facilities onboard, but the operational aspect is somewhat different,” she explained. On a cruise, people spend a limited amount of time onboard, mostly about a week or two. On a residential cruise vessel, such as the projected Narrative of Storylines that TDoS has been involved with, the time can be a lot longer.

The ship and its facilities, including the residences themselves, need to accommodate the fact that people using them are more active on some days wile on others, they want a more relaxed pace, quite as they would do at a land based home.

Perhaps the most striking difference between a cruise cabin and accommodation on a residential cruise ship is the Residential Lounge with a kitchen that forms part of the private quarters on the last-named ship type. “You can enjoy a home cooked meal together with friends,” Kadora said.

“People can also invite friends and family for a stay onboard,” she continued, adding that the residents themselves would be part of a community of people who live onboard. As modern technology allows it, many people will probably also work for part of the time they spend on a residential cruise ship, so it is not just a pure leisure pad," Kadora pointed out.

A residential cruise ship will also need to provide a range of facilities for people to keep fit – Narrative is projected to feature not just gym, spa and fitness facilities, but also a marina that can be used when the vessel is e.g. at anchor offshore. Again, as the residents are expect to have varied preferences and lifestyles, the vessel has to cater for a broad range of tastes and interests. This also goes for the entertainment onboard: a range of public rooms that can be used for this purpose will also be provided.

Concern for the environment is a matter that many people share these days and Narrative is planned to feature a 5,400sq ft kitchen garden, where e.g. vegetables are planned to be grown – pesticide free. As Kadora pointed out, interest in locally produced food is also a major trend all over the world these days and Storylines plans to be the first passenger shipping company to start producing food onboard.

You can read more about Narrative and a number of other residential cruise ship projects in the next issue of CruiseBusiness.com magazine, which has been just published.

Silversea welcomes Silver Origin to its fleet with first in-person cruise ship delivery since the lockdown

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 05 June 2020 05 June 2020

Silversea Cruises has taken delivery of its first-ever destination-specific ship, Silver Origin, from Dutch shipyard De Hoop. An intimate ceremony, held on Wednesday June 3, 2020, marked the first in-person cruise ship delivery since the pandemic prompted a global lockdown.

Select Silversea top executives – including Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, Chairman; Roberto Martinoli, President and CEO; Damien O’Connor, SVP Hotel Operations & Onboard Revenue; and Barbara Muckermann, Chief Marketing Officer – attended the ceremony in Rotterdam. Joined by representatives from De Hoop Shipyard, Silversea’s executives took a tour of the completed ship for the first time and were present for the official flag ceremony.

“It was a very proud moment for me to attend Silver Origin’s official delivery ceremony in person, and to welcome Silversea’s first-ever destination-specific ship to our fleet. I am very grateful to all involved in the build, especially the professionals at De Hoop Shipyard,” says Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio. “In September 2013, Silversea became the first cruise line to launch an ultra-luxury ship in the Galapagos Archipelago. We have invested our accrued know-how into the design of Silver Origin. Every element of the ship has been designed with the destination in mind and tailored to enhance the experience for travelers, while fostering a deep sense of respect for this magnificent ecosystem and everything that inhabits it.”

“We welcome the beautiful Silver Origin to our fleet as the first ship since the start of our collaboration with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.,” says Roberto Martinoli, Silversea’s President & CEO. “The ship demonstrates how fruitful our collaboration has been, while providing an indication of the great success to come. With Silversea’s destination expertise and the invaluable support of the RCL group, we have pushed the boundaries of ultra-luxury travel in the Galapagos with Silver Origin. I want to extend my gratitude to all those involved, including my colleagues at both Silversea and RCL, but especially to the De Hoop Shipyard who overcame many challenges to complete the ship.”

“It has been extremely rewarding to work on this project, and we are proud for having been able to deliver the ship in spite of the external challenges,” says Patrick Janssens, CEO of De Hoop Shipyard. “The delivery ceremony marked a momentous moment for both parties, and delivering Silver Origin to Silversea’s Executives here in Rotterdam was a great pleasure. We wish the cruise line every success for the future and we look forward to seeing this beautiful ship in the Galapagos Islands where she belongs.”

Integrating the latest state-of-the-art technology and designed with a focus on the pillars of sustainability, destination on board, expedition experience, authentic local culture, and comfort and service, the all-suite, all-balcony, 100-guest Silver Origin will welcome travelers year-round in the unique Galapagos Archipelago. The ship will provide guests with the ultimate destination experience, inspired by Silversea’s accrued expertise and founded on a deep respect for the fragility of the natural environment, while maintaining the cruise line’s trademark quality of service.

Each of Silver Origin's spaces has been designed specifically with the Galapagos in mind by Hirsch Bedner Associates Miami. Silversea’s executives visited each to experience first-hand how they will create unique synergies between the destination and the ship.