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YSA Design delivers high-end hotel look and feel for Norwegian Prima

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Products & services Products & services

Published: 12 September 2022 12 September 2022

Interior spaces from YSA Design on board Norwegian Prima offer a break with traditional cruise ship aesthetics to create an ambience more reminiscent of a modern, high-end hotel, according to the Oslo-based architecture and design firm.

Recently christened in Reykjavik, Iceland following the completion of construction works at Italy’s Fincantieri Marghera Shipyard, Norwegian Prima is the first in Norwegian Cruise Lines’ new Prima class of vessels. The 294-metre passenger ship can accommodate up to 3,099 guests on itineraries to Bermuda, the Caribbean and Northern Europe.

YSA Design developed multiple spaces aboard Prima, including two dining establishments, the forward and aft public stairs and lift lobbies and the public toilets.

“For this first-in-class vessel, we departed from the conventions of the cruise-ship aesthetic to create a fresher look and feel based on the flair of a modern, luxury hotel,” says YSA Design senior interior architect and project lead, Fabiana Vale Dornelas. “Our design approach is characterised by elegant and contemporary elements including clean lines, reflective surfaces, stone finishes and metal detailing.”

Exemplary of this approach is the New York-style restaurant aft of deck 7. Named after the river that separates Jersey City from Manhattan, Hudson’s is an upmarket venue offering 280-degree views from the stern of the ship. The open, airy space is decorated in contrasting bright and deep-blue tones, with golden finishes reflecting the natural light that enters through sloping floor-to-ceiling windows. Adding colour and texture are the velvet upholstery and the organic, abstract motif of the carpet, while crystal-embedded gold-leaf chandeliers cast intricate patterns of light on the ceiling.

Aft of the back stairs on deck 8 is The Local, a casual venue comprising a starboard bar and a restaurant on the port side. In the bar, cool blue lighting from behind the counter contrasts with the warm, earthy tones of the seating area, and multicoloured mosaic tiling and wood-panel flooring converge at straight and diagonal angles in the centre. Sharing the warm palette of the bar seating area, the restaurant brings together boldly coloured upholstery with subdued wood and brick finishes. The entire venue is unified by a dark, semi-open ceiling partially illuminated by contemporary string lights.

“The idea with The Local was to offer a relaxed environment for informal dining and socialising,” explains Dornelas. “The space is vibrant and quirky with a multicultural twist – the perfect setting for sharing a bite to eat and a drink with friends.”

Comprising a total of three lobbies, four lift towers and fourteen lifts, the forward and aft public stairs share a consistent look and feel, featuring straight lines, marble flooring, stylish stone finishes with metal detailing and deep-blue tones reflected in the mirror elements and chandeliers. Spanning lift to lift, the impressive chandeliers form a fluid, wavy shape that appears to change depending on the angle from which it is viewed.

Adjacent to the lobbies are the public toilets, which maintain the modern hotel style. The aesthetic is sophisticated and clean, with wooden and stone finishing. Contributing to the elegant look are a reflective wall with metal inserts, slate floor tiles arranged in an irregular pattern and crystal pendants that produce fascinating reflections. In line with post-pandemic hygiene standards, the integrated sinks include touchless taps, soap dispensers and dryers.

Telenor Maritime to deliver a complete connectivity package for Polferries

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Products & services Products & services

Published: 12 September 2022 12 September 2022

Telenor Maritime has signed a 5-year partnership contract with Polferries during this year’s SMM event. The contract secures Telenor Maritime a solid position in the European ferry market.

Telenor Maritime will deliver passenger services (wi-fi and mobile), as well as connectivity between ship and shore, to all five of Polferries’ vessels in operation.

“The ferries are an important link between Sweden and Poland and carry large amounts of cargo and passengers between the two countries. Their ambition is to optimise and improve passenger experience by allowing passengers to use their phones, tablets, and laptops on board – both for business and leisure purposes.”, says Roger Vimme, Sales Director Ferry, at Telenor Maritime.

Although Telenor Maritime does not set passenger retail prices for maritime roaming, Lars Erik Lunøe, CEO of Telenor Maritime, believes that the prices will decrease as the usage goes up. “We see a substantial increase in data traffic. Compared to pre-pandemic 2019, the data usage has increased by 50%. People are used to having uninterrupted access to the internet, no matter where they are. The need for larger volumes of data at a lower price will increase by roughly 20% each year going forward, and we plan to increase the download speed from 450 MB/s to 1 GB in four years.” – says Lars Erik Lunøe, CEO at Telenor Maritime.

The 4G mobile service on board Polferries will be upgraded to 5G at a later date. However, even though internet speed at sea is still largely dependent on satellites, Telenor Maritime is researching and testing ways to implement new technology to meet the demand of future passengers. LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites and 5G are promising technologies that will be able to mitigate challenges with latency and capacity that “ordinary” geo-stationary satellites have today.

Telenor Maritime will also offer affordable wi-fi packages on board all Polferries’ ships. With wi-fi, passengers can surf the internet at a predictable, pre-paid price. Packages are purchased using an on-board portal on the passengers’ personal devices. This portal has become a central service for digitalising the passengers experience on board several European ferry companies.

Marioff China wins major contract from China

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Products & services Products & services

Published: 08 September 2022 08 September 2022

Marioff, a leading developer of water mist fire protection technology, has won a contract with Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (SWS) to provide its HI-FOG water mist fire protection system in the second Vista class cruise ship for CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping Limited. Marioff is a part of Carrier Global Corporation, the leading global provider of healthy, safe, sustainable and intelligent building and cold chain solutions.

Marioff will protect the ship’s accommodation, public areas, machinery spaces, and ducts with the HI-FOG high-pressure water mist system using plain water as the extinguishing agent, making it a safe solution both for people and the environment.

“We are pleased to work with Marioff Corporation Oy directly, and more than happy to see Marioff China provide direct project management and efficient local service. This will be an important value add to our cruise shipbuilding in respect of optimized engineering, successful experience and consistent high-quality HI-FOG system delivery,” said Zhou Qi, Vice President, Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.

“The whole team is proud to achieve such a significant win,” said Kaius Kovanen, Director of Marioff’s marine unit. “This continues our excellent collaboration with SWS, which started with the first state-of-the-art Vista class cruise ship. Our capabilities as the pioneer of high-pressure water mist fire protection technology combined with our expertise in BluEdge lifecycle services allow us to gain customer trust and recognition.”

“We strengthened our position in China at the beginning of the year by establishing a local Marioff China marine team in Shanghai. The experienced team will allow us to support the shipyard faster and more efficiently,” said Steven Chen, Sales Director of Marioff China, Marine and Offshore. “This important win is a great start in our endeavor to grow our business in the Chinese marine segment.”

Survitec's Seahaven receives Lloyd's Register type approval certification

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Products & services Products & services

Published: 07 September 2022 07 September 2022

Survitec’s Seahaven, the world’s largest inflatable lifeboat, is now ready to be installed on cruise vessels, having received full type approval certification from classification society Lloyd’s Register.

A Certificate of Type Approval was presented by Lloyd's Register Chief Operations Officer Mark Darley to Mark Cotton, Survitec Sales Director, during the SMM trade fair, which is taking place this week, in Hamburg, Germany.

Certification follows the successful completion of heavy weather sea trials (HWST) in December, and all environmental and physical testing concluded in April as defined by Lloyd’s Register Type Approval (A.520).

Seahaven is unique in that it is the first lifeboat to have completed an exhaustive reliability testing programme that far exceeds the mandatory testing requirements set out by SOLAS.

“We are delighted to receive Lloyd’s Register Type Approval,” said Cotton. “The Certificate of Type Approval signifies all required regulatory testing has been successfully completed. Receiving this certificate is a significance achievement both for Survitec and the maritime industry at large.”

Certification not only confirms Seahaven is compliant with the International Maritime Organization’s stringent rules for the evacuation of cruise ship passengers and crew, but it offers industry an alternative to the traditional lifeboat arrangement.

The award-winning 1,060-capacity inflatable lifeboat solution takes all the safety features associated with a conventional lifeboat and MES arrangement. With the compact design and higher evacuation capability of Seahaven, up to 85% of cruise ship deck space is freed up yielding up to $8.4 million increased revenue per year for cruise operators.

Richard McCormick, AES and MES Product Manager at Survitec, said: “Commercially, the Seahaven journey is really just beginning. Since we officially launched this ground-breaking technology earlier this year, we have advanced our discussions with key industry players on the numerous benefits and the value of installing Seahaven onboard their vessels.”

“Seahaven not only redefines safety at sea but also revolutionises the vessel design and the cruise experience,” he said. “Cruise ship operators and naval architects are already looking at remodelling the space normally given to conventional lifeboats and davits for additional cabins, enhanced passenger experience and revenue generating opportunities.”

Mark Darley, Chief Operations Officer at Lloyd’s Register, said: “Survitec’s Seahaven inflatable lifeboat solution is a breakthrough in innovative space saving design and will present significant opportunities for cruise ship owners whilst prioritising safety at sea. Lloyd’s Register are extremely proud to award Type Approval Certification to Survitec for this design.”

Representatives from Survitec will be available to discuss in detail the space-saving safety attributes of Seahaven and other Survival Technology solutions on Stand 528, in Hall B of the SMM trade fair, which takes place this week at Hamburg Messe + Congress.

Photo: Nicola Good, Head of External Relations, Lloyds Register; Lloyds Register Chief Operations Officer Mark Darley; Stew Gregory, VP of Innovation at Survitec and Mark Cotton, Survitec Sales Director