News

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.”