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Wärtsilä develops expedition cruise ship design for Chinese owner

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 23 April 2020 23 April 2020

The technology group Wärtsilä’s in-house ship design capabilities have been recognised with an order to develop a customised design for up to six new luxury expedition cruise vessels capable of carrying 200 passengers, the Helsinki based company said in a statement.

The ships will be owned and operated by Amundsen Expeditions and are targeted primarily at the growing Chinese market. The design order with Wärtsilä was signed in the third quarter of 2019. “The ships are designed to operate efficiently in both tropical and polar waters.

Because of the harsh environment and often remote location of the cruise destinations, special attention has been given to ensuring the ships’ operational reliability,” says Markku Miinala, General Manager, Ship Design Sales, Wärtsilä Marine.

The Wärtsilä team has worked in close cooperation with Amundsen Expeditions to develop a concept that meets the owner’s precise specifications and requirements. The vessels are designed to be fitted with a complete package of Wärtsilä solutions, including Wärtsilä 32 engines, selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems for the abatement of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, electric propulsion, the Wärtsilä Nacos Platinum bridge system for navigation and communication, as well as Wärtsilä automation solutions.

The eventual supply package is likely to be supported by a 10-year maintenance agreement, which will ensure the safety, reliability, and efficiency of the vessels, while providing cost assurances for budgeting purposes.

“The design emphasises Wärtsilä’s strength as a complete solutions provider. Our one-stop-shop capability, which allows the ship design to be combined with a complete package of onboard solutions, enables a truly integrated design. This results in the various onboard systems working seamlessly in harmony to provide the optimal level of reliability and efficiency, while keeping cost and time considerations under control,” says Maikel Arts, General Manager, Cruise Business, Wärtsilä Marine.

“We have great respect for Wärtsilä’s experience and broad portfolio of high quality solutions. This is important to us as these cruise ships are highly complex and require advanced design expertise. The cruise ships will feature all outside guest cabins, presidential suites, winter gardens and the latest environmental equipment. We appreciate Wärtsilä’s ongoing support in this project,” says Captain Rajko Zupan of Amundsen Expeditions, who has been actively involved in the ship’s design since the inception of the project.

Wärtsilä is a leading supplier to the cruise industry. With a network of dedicated experts available worldwide, the company can support its cruise customers wherever they operate. In addition to its portfolio of efficient and reliable solutions, Wärtsilä also offers the latest in ship design, cyber-security, enhanced sustainability performance, and future-proof operations.

NCLH said to be looking at PIPE deal to raise equity

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 20 April 2020 20 April 2020

Norwegian Cruise Line Holding (NCLH), the world’s third larges listed cruise shipping group, has hired Goldman Sachs, the investment bank, to raise equity through private investment in public equity (PIPE) deal, Reuters reports.

“Among the options Norwegian Cruise (Holding) is considering is a stake sale known as private investment in public equity (PIPE), the sources said. The company is in talks with several private equity firms about a PIPE deal, the sources added,” Reuters reported.

Commenting on the news, the UK based investment website The Motley Fool said such a deal would be quite similar to what Carnival Company & plc did recently, raising a huge equity stake from investors in early April.

“Of course, Carnival also raised even more in debt than it did in equity. In doing so, Carnival didn't dilute its shareholders as much, but the company carries a heightened risk due to its new debt burden,” the report said.

“Should Norwegian go the all-equity route, it might dilute shareholders even more, but it could be less risky than taking on lots of high-yield debt as Carnival has,” it continued.

Holland America Line reflects on history and resilience on Its 147th anniversary

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 17 April 2020 17 April 2020

Holland America Line reflects on history and resilience on Its 147th anniversary Holland America Line is commemorating its 147th anniversary Saturday, April 18, 2020, by honoring its rich legacy, taking care of each other in the present and looking forward to its next chapter. With travel paused globally, the premium cruise line is reflecting on the resilience that has been exhibited throughout the company’s history, enduring challenging times many times before and emerging even stronger thanks to loyal guests, dedicated crew and employees, and the support of travel advisors.

Founded April 18, 1873, as the Netherlands-American Steamship Company, the brand has welcomed more than 150 ships throughout the years. A third Pinnacle-class ship, Ryndam, is under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy and scheduled for delivery in late spring 2021. While the cruise line has paused its global operations through June 30, only one other time in company history did operations cease. During World War II, all passenger voyages stopped, and ships were called to serve in the Allied war effort.

“It’s important during these challenging times to still celebrate important milestones, and our 147th anniversary reminds us that Holland America Line has one of the deepest histories and richest legacies in the cruise industry,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “We stand on a solid foundation built by those that came before us over nearly a century and a half, and just as they weathered uncertain times, we will as well. Holland America Line will be back taking guests around the world as soon as we can, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back on board.” Since 1873, Holland America Line has traveled to all seven continents, offered decades of world cruises and explored Alaska for more than 70 years. Each time a new ship joins the fleet it’s a celebration of this legacy and marks the next chapter in the company’s history. Learn more about the company’s history at

To help our loyal guests look forward their next cruise, new short-term Book with Confidence cancellation policies are available for cruise bookings with departure dates through Oct. 15, 2020, and a generous Cancellation Protection Plan (CPP) is always available for purchase right up until the cancellation policy for a booking is in effect. CPP permits cancelling for any reason and provides cash refunds.

Additional offers that feature perks and savings will have cruisers dreaming of travel in 2021 and beyond. A special 147th Anniversary Edition Gift Card is available for a limited time at hollandamerica.com. When purchased by May 31, 2020, a bonus $100 will be added with purchase of a $500 gift card or a $200 bonus with the purchase of a gift card for $1,000 or more.

TOP PICTURE: Stephen Card painting of Nieuw Amsterdam

BELOW: Historical picture of Pier 40 in New York (Photo credits: Holland America Line)

New orders cannot be expected before 2023, yard capacity must be reduced – Meyer officials

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

The cruise ship building industry is facing severe overcapacity as new orders cannot be expected for a few years and the Meyer group of shipyards needs to adjust its capacity to a new normal, two senior officials of the group said.

Due to the severity of the crisis, no new orders can be expected before 2023 or 2024, said Thomas Weigend, CEO of Meyer Werft, the German unit of the group, in a video message to the staff.

Bernard Meyer, Chairman and Owner, stated on the same video that it would take up to 2030 for the newbuilding market to return to the levels seen last year, before the crisis.

Cruise shipping companies would book massive losses for this year and break even in 2021 before probably returning to profit in the following year, he added.

Only between a half and three quarters of the global cruise ship fleet of some 400 ships would resume service this year, Weigend forecast.

Given the severity of the crisis, the lines will also seek to postpone deliveries and in order to avoid cancellations of orders, the Meyer Group will have to reduce its capacity. At Papenburg, this means cutting one large ships per year from the present output of two large and one smaller ship per year, Weigend continued.

In order to adapt to the new normal, Weigend said the company plans to reduce the hours worked by its own staff, reduce the use of contractors and to stop overtime and weekend work.

The cruise industry has experienced four major shocks since he started at the family owned company in 1973. The first one was the oil crisis the same year Meyer started his shipbuilding career and from which it took the global shipbuilding industry two decades to recover.

The 911 terrorist attacks in 2001 and the financial crisis seven years later were both major events, but neither of these brought the entire global cruise fleet to a standstill as has been the case with the coronavirus, said Bernard Meyer.

P&O Cruises' Iona departed Meyer Werft last month. New delivery date is not set yet. Photo credit: Meyer Werft

Royal Caribbean cuts its workforce by 26 percent

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 16 April 2020 16 April 2020

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has announced drastic cuts to its workforce due to the pandemic.

"Earlier today, we told our employees the difficult news that we were laying off or furloughing approximately 26 percent of our more than 5,000 coworkers in the US," the company said in a statement.

"We earlier announced the early conclusion of many crew contracts.

The circumstances of the pandemic made this action unavoidable, and it hurts to part ways with so many good and talented people."