Tag Archives: Shipbuilding

Explora and Fincantieri Celebrate Explora III’s Delivery

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Explora and Fincantieri Celebrate Explora III’s Delivery

The delivery ceremony of the Explora III, the third vessel built by Fincantieri for Explora Journeys, took place today in Genoa at the Fincantieri shipyard in Sestri Ponente.

Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Group’s Cruise Division, said: “The delivery of the Explora III marks another important milestone in realizing our vision for Explora Journeys.”

“In just three years, we have defined a new and distinctive perspective in ocean travel. With each new ship, we expand our ability to offer guests new perspectives on the world through increasingly immersive experiences in the destinations we visit,” added Vago.

“The Explora III reflects our commitment to innovation, craftsmanship excellence and responsible growth, while contributing to the broader economic benefits that cruise tourism brings to coastal destinations and communities.”

Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and general manager of Fincantieri, said: “The Explora III testifies to Fincantieri’s ability to lead the transformation of the shipbuilding industry through innovation, sustainability and the evolution towards new technologies and alternative fuels.”

“The entry into the fleet of the first ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) marks a significant milestone in this journey, an expression of the development of increasingly sustainable and technologically advanced solutions,” added Folgiero.

Fincantieri said in a press release that the newbuild was celebrated with numerous authorities and institutions in attendance, including:

  • President of the Liguria Region, Marco Bucci
  • Mayor of Genoa, Silvia Salis
  • Admiral Inspector Antonio Ranieri, and
  • President of the Port System Authority of the Western Ligurian Sea, Matteo Paroli.

The Explora III is the third out of six ships; the remaining three are all under construction and will take to the sea within two years: the Explora IV and Explora V in 2027, and Explora VI in 2028.

Guests were welcomed by:

  • Biagio Mazzotta, president of Fincantieri
  • Pierroberto Folgiero, chief executive officer and general manager of Fincantieri;
  • Luigi Matarazzo, general manager of Fincantieri’s Merchant Ships Division
  • Massimo Canesin, director of the Fincantieri Shipyard in Sestri
  • Diego Aponte, chairman of the MSC Group
  • Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of the Cruise Division of the MSC Group
  • Anna Nash, president of Explora Journeys
  • Maya Aponte, godmother of the ship, and
  • other managers of Fincantieri and MSC.

The Explora III will use liquefied natural gas (LNG), reducing emissions of sulfur oxides by 99 percent, nitrogen oxides by 85 percent, particulate matter by 98 percent and greenhouse gases by up to 20 percent.

It is designed to run on renewable and latest-generation fuels such as bio-LNG, synthetic LNG and biofuels. The Explora V and Explora VI will also adopt fuel cells.

Designed and built under RINA class surveillance, the Explora III has been acknowledged for its environmentally sustainable and passenger-comfort design, and was certified to sail in the polar regions.

Viking Orders Expedition Ships, More Ocean Ship Options

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Viking Orders Expedition Ships, More Ocean Ship Options

Viking is continuing its growth track as the company announced it had entered into a deal to build two expedition ships for delivery in 2030 and 2031.

The two expedition ships will join the current Viking expedition fleet, the 378-guest Polaris and Octantis. The new ships will be sister vessels and be built in Italy.

At the same time, the company said it had entered into option agreements for two additional ocean ships for delivery in 2034, with an exercise date of July 30, 2028.

Viking Newbuild Orderbook:

  • Viking Mira: 54,300 tons, Built in 2026, 998 passengers.
  • Viking Libra: 54,300 tons, Built in 2026, 998 passengers.
  • Viking Astrea: 54,300 tons, Built in 2027, 998 passengers.
  • Viking Lyra: 54,300 tons, Built in 2028, 998 passengers.
  • Unnamed: 54,300 tons, Built in 2028, 998 passengers.
  • Unnamed: 54,300 tons, Built in 2029, 998 passengers.
  • Unnamed: 54,300 tons, Built in 2030, 998 passengers.
  • New Expedition Ship Order: TBD, Built in 2030; TBD passengers.
  • Unnamed: 54,300 tons, Built in 2030, 998 passengers.
  • Unnamed: 54,300 tons, Built in 2031, 998 passengers.
  • Unnamed: 54,300 tons, Built in 2031, 998 passengers.
  • New Expedition Ship Order: TBD, Built in 2031; TBD passengers.

Viking Newbuild Options:

  • Unnamed: 54,300 tons, Built in 2032, 998 passengers.
  • Unnamed: 54,300 tons, Built in 2032, 998 passengers.
  • Unnamed: 54,300 tons, Built in 2033, 998 passengers.
  • Unnamed: 54,300 tons, Built in 2033, 998 passengers.
  • Unnamed: 54,300 tons, Built in 2034, 998 passengers.
  • Unnamed: 54,300 tons, Built in 2034, 998 passengers.

Tui transfers shipbuilding slots from Marella Cruises to sister line in push for more UK passengers

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Tui transfers shipbuilding slots from Marella Cruises to sister line in push for more UK passengers

Tui Cruises is a joint venture between Tui AG and Royal Caribbean Group (Credit: Tui Cruises)

The new-build slots were previously secured earlier this year for Marella Cruises for delivery in 2031 and 2033.

However, Tui AG said this “strategic decision” to move the slots across to Tui Cruises allows the brand to “build on the success of its Tui Cruises joint venture, which has a proven track record across various European markets and possesses the financial capacity for further expansion investments”.

It also stated that the decision was made to strengthen Tui Cruises’ long-term growth platform in Europe and the UK.

Tui Cruises is a joint venture between Tui AG and Royal Caribbean Group.

Marella Cruises’ down payment to Fincantieri will be reimbursed, and it will continue operations with its existing five-ship fleet.

A Tui spokesperson said: “We are pleased to order two further new-build vessels at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy. This move strengthens Tui Cruises’ platform for long-term growth and enables us to gradually expand further into other markets, particularly in Northern Europe.

“We look forward to leveraging our solid financial position and proven market expertise to deliver outstanding experiences for our guests.”

The spokesperson added, “As the delivery of the new ships is scheduled for 2031 and 2033, there are currently no further details to share. Over the coming months, we will work on the next steps for this exciting project and will share updates as soon as they are available.”