Rauma Marine Construction starts production of MyStar ferry

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 06 April 2020 06 April 2020

Rauma Marine Constructions continues to design and build ships despite the global coronavirus pandemic. The production of Tallink’s new shuttle ferry MyStar began at Rauma shipyard on Monday, April 6, 2020.

Tallink’s new car and passenger ferry will be the largest ship built at the Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) shipyard in Rauma, Finland yet. Making use of cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions, the ship will be energy efficient and will have a dual-fuel solution that can use liquified natural gas (LNG), a fuel with lower emissions. The vessel’s advanced, certified electric propulsion system allows the ship to operate energy-efficiently in all circumstances at speeds of up to 27 knots.

“We are proud to start the construction of MyStar, a new vessel which continues the tradition of building ships with our important customer, Tallink Grupp. This will be the seventh ferry built for Tallink at Rauma. Together, we are developing increasingly environmentally friendly shipping between Finland and Estonia,” said Jyrki Heinimaa, President and CEO of RMC.

RMC aims to be the leading builder of car and passenger ferries in Europe. According to Heinimaa, building Tallink’s vessel supports this objective.

Tallink MyStar is valued at around EUR 250 million. The vessel will be approximately 212 metres long and will have a gross tonnage of approximately 50,000. It will be able to accommodate around 3,000 passengers and crew members in total, and will have a freight capacity of 1,900 lane metres for lorries and other vehicles. The ferry will provide over 1,500 person-years of employment for the shipyard. MyStar will operate between Helsinki, Finland, and Tallinn, Estonia. The building project will consider the vessel’s operating profile, efficient functionality for large numbers of passengers and vehicles, as well as passenger comfort.

Economies rely on shipping

“The world around us has recently changed beyond recognition and all around us we only see shut-downs, challenges and closure. Our group, too, is facing challenges, but we are working hard to get through the current situation and are continuing to focus on the future. And one of the key future projects already underway before the crisis was the construction project of our new shuttle, MyStar – one of the most eco-friendly ships on the Baltic Sea. I am therefore pleased to say today that we are able to start this new project in cooperation with our long-standing partner, Rauma shipyard,” said Paavo Nõgene, CEO of Tallink Grupp.

“During this intense challenging period, we see, more than ever, how much our economies rely on dependable, sustainable and eco-friendly ships, and the importance of vital shipping routes remaining open. At Tallink, this makes our commitment to building and operating the most innovative and most sustainable ships on the Baltic sea even stronger,” Nõgene stated.

Rauma shipyard is taking action to prevent the spread of the coronavirus

Rauma shipyard has taken sizeable measures to maintain operations and to prevent the spreading of the coronavirus. Personnel and network partners are actively informed, more work is done remotely, online workspaces are being developed and personnel are supported in a challenging situation. Cleanliness and tidiness are emphasised throughout the company. In production, the focus is on developing safe ways of working in close cooperation with network partners.

“Our primary objective is to ensure the health and safety of our personnel and partners. We are also aiming to minimise the impact the coronavirus will have on our production and finances. There is plenty of work to be done, as long as employees and materials can move. The shipyard is in full swing,” says Jyrki Heinimaa.

Viking launches new experience channel, Viking.TV

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 05 April 2020 05 April 2020

Viking has announced the official launch of Viking.TV (https://viking.tv/), a new digital platform designed to provide enriching cultural content and livestreaming video experiences from around the world. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President Karine Hagen in a video for current and past Viking guests, posted on the homepage of Viking.TV.

“Right now, we are all staying at home instead of traveling together, but that does not have to mean that the only thing we can do is watch the news,” said Karine. “My father, Torstein Hagen, and I felt that if we cannot for the time being bring our guests to the world, let’s bring the world to our guests. Viking.TV is a way for us to continue exploring the world in comfort – from the comfort of our homes. And as soon as actual travel is less complicated again, we are ready to welcome you onboard.”

Viking.TV was conceived as a way to build community, stay connected and share positive experiences at a time when people are staying home, rather than traveling. In addition to housing a library of enriching content that Viking guests would have enjoyed onboard their respective cruise itineraries, Viking.TV will also feature live content from a variety of experts, cultural partners and notable individuals. Each day at 11 a.m. PT in the “Conversations with Karine and Friends” section of Viking.TV, there will be a livestream conversation, demonstration or virtual tour where viewers can participate by submitting questions in real time. All content sessions will be archived for anyone who cannot view at the original time of broadcast. The schedule of daily participants will be announced every Sunday, and viewers can expect the following themes each day:

– Museum Mondays – Viking is a longtime sponsor of Oslo’s Munch Museum and hosts “Munch Moments” onboard its ocean ships every afternoon, showcasing a curated collection of Norway’s most famous artist, Edvard Munch. On Viking.TV, Museum Mondays will take the place of the onboard event, and viewers can expect streamed sessions with the museum’s director and various curators, providing virtual privileged access to exhibitions, experts and restoration facilities. Additional museums may also participate in the future.

– Resident Historian Tuesdays – As part of Viking’s onboard cultural enrichment program and commitment to destination-focused learning, Viking’s Resident Historian faculty provides guests with lectures and roundtable discussions on significant milestones in world history. Each Tuesday, a Resident Historian will host an iconic lecture followed by a livestreamed Q&A session.

– Wednesdays with Music – One of the most important cultural aspects of any destination is its music. On Wednesdays, Viking.TV will bring some of the world’s most interesting artists, composers and conductors of the musical world.

– Guest Speaker Thursdays – Viking is proud to welcome onboard as guest lecturers many experts in the fields of science, the arts and exploration. Every Thursday, Viking.TV viewers can enjoy meaningful conversations with a variety of academics and individuals who have led extraordinary lives. Upcoming hosts include veteran British broadcaster journalist Anne Diamond; world-renowned Norwegian explorer Liv Arnesen; and Xander Parish, principal dancer with the Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg.

– Fridays at Home at Highclere Castle – Together with her husband Geordie, the 8th Earl of Carnarvon, the Countess of Carnarvon manages affairs at Highclere Castle, widely recognized as the filming location of Downton Abbey. Through her friendship with Karine, Viking has enjoyed a long relationship with Highclere Castle, to which many Viking guests each year enjoy Privileged Access. Every Friday, visitors to Viking.TV can get a glimpse of life “At Home at Highclere,” as Lady Carnarvon broadcasts tours and conversations.

– Wellness Weekends – Saturdays and Sundays on Viking.TV are dedicated to wellbeing during uncertain times and will feature staff from the LivNordic spas onboard Viking’s ocean ships, as well as other selected hosts, largely focusing on yoga and meditation.

– The first “Fridays at Home at Highclere Castle” livestream officially launched today, April 3, and the next session will take place next Friday, April 10, at 11 a.m. PT. “Karine are I are as much sisters as we are friends, and our dogs are all related too!” said Lady Carnarvon. “The Viking and Highclere families are tightly linked through friendship and dogs, and I am delighted to open our castle doors and lives to the extended Viking family to give a little virtual insight into our history and lives, while we are all trying to deal with this temporary new normal. I hope you’ll join me on Fridays as we go behind-the-scenes, with stories about royal visits, entertaining and heritage.”

– In addition to the daily content sessions, visitors to Viking.TV can access Viking-produced destination insights, which are hosted by Karine and showcase the history, art and culture from around the world. Viking.TV also features reading lists, filmography and music playlists by popular itinerary, so visitors can read, watch or listen their way around the world from right at home. Those who are looking to get creative in their home kitchen – and journey around the world through global cuisine – will enjoy “The Kitchen Table,” a digital cookbook on Viking.TV that features recipes browsable by country and the ability for visitors to submit their own favorite recipes. And for guests who were especially looking forward to seeing their Viking family of onboard crew during their voyage, Viking.TV includes a forum where guests and crew can exchange greetings – reinforcing the tight community bonds that form as part of the travel experience.

On March 11, 2020, Viking became the first cruise line to announce a temporary suspension in operations in response to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Viking.TV stays true to the brand tagline of “Exploring the World in Comfort” – albeit for the time being, that exploration can now happen from the comfort of one’s own home, rather than from the comfort of Viking ships.

Coral Princess arrives in PortMiami

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 04 April 2020 04 April 2020

Princess Cruises can confirm that Coral Princess has arrived in Port Miami this morning, April 4. Disembarkation of guests is expected to take several days due to limited flight availability. Guests requiring shoreside medical care will be prioritized to disembark first.

Disembarkation for guests who are fit to fly is anticipated to begin on Sunday, April 5. These guests will transfer direct from the ship to Miami International Airport for flights home.

Those with any respiratory symptoms, or who are still recovering from being ill previously, will remain on board until medically cleared by the ship’s doctors.

There are 1,898 people onboard including 1,020 guests and 878 crew members.

Coral Princess departed March 5 from San Antonio (Santiago) for a South America voyage which was scheduled to end in Buenos Aires on March 19. In response to the global spread of COVID-19, Princess Cruises announced a voluntary 60-day pause of operations on March 12, becoming one of the first companies in the leisure travel industry to take this proactive measure.

"We appreciate that the operations underway for Coral Princess would not be possible without the coordination and resources of many federal, state and local government agencies. We thank all those involved for their assistance in managing this very complex and fluid situation," Princess said in a statement.

Zaandam and Rotterdam begins to disembark guests at Port Everglades

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 02 April 2020 02 April 2020

Holland America Line has confirmed that Broward County and the Unified Command cleared both Zaandam and Rotterdam for arrival to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to disembark guests who are fit to travel per guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

"We extend our sincere gratitude to President Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the Broward County Board of County Commissioners, Port Everglades Unified Command, Broward County Administrator Bertha Henry and all governmental and embassy authorities who helped to resolve this situation and get our nearly 1,200 guests home. And a special thank you to Broward County Mayor Dale Holness for his leadership, help and understanding.

“These travelers could have been any one of us or our families, unexpectedly caught in the middle of this unprecedented closure of global borders that happened in a matter of days and without warning,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “We are so happy to be able to get our guests home and assist those few who need additional medical services. The COVID-19 situation is one of the most urgent tests of our shared humanity, and we must do everything we can to ensure we continue to act in ways consistent with our common human dignity.

“Our guests on board both ships have been truly incredible, and we extend our deepest thanks and appreciation to all of them,” continued Ashford. “Their cooperation, support and understanding throughout this entire experience helped us best protect the health of all on board and ensured our shipboard teams could focus on caring for everyone and getting them home.

“I would also like to extend my sincerest thanks to the amazing officers and crews of Zaandam and Rotterdam,” continued Ashford. “They are heroes who rose to the challenge of taking care of our guests and each other under extraordinary circumstances. All of us at Holland America Line are so very proud of our colleagues for their exemplary leadership and service.”

Following arrival in Port Everglades, guests will be health screened and also cleared for entry by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Disembarkation is expected to be completed by tomorrow evening, with priority given today to those who need immediate care at local health system partners who have approved their arrival.

Fit-to-travel guests will transfer straight from ship onto buses for transfer directly to the airport for their flights home. The majority will leave on charter flights. Local Florida residents will return home immediately via private car. Guests have not left the ship since March 14 and have self-isolated in their staterooms since March 22.

Guests who still have symptoms will remain on board and disembark at a later date to be finalized after they have fully recovered and meet the CDC guidelines for being fit to travel. They will continue to be well cared for on board by the ships’ medical staffs.

No crew from either ship will disembark in Fort Lauderdale.

Since March 22, 107 guests (90 on Zaandam/17 on Rotterdam) and 143 crew on Zaandam (0 on Rotterdam) have presented with influenza-like symptoms.

There are 808 guests and 583 crew on Rotterdam. On Zaandam there are 442 guests and 603 crew. Among the guests, 311 guests are American citizens and 52 are residents of Florida.

Due to global health concerns, Holland America Line made the decision to suspend its global cruise operations for 30 days and end its current cruises in progress as quickly as possible. At the time, Zaandam was sailing a South America cruise that began in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 7 that was originally scheduled to end in San Antonio, Chile, on March 21. Attempts were made and denied to disembark guests in Chile on March 15 and at other ports along its route to the United States.

On March 21, Zaandam was originally scheduled to begin a 20-day South America and Panama Canal cruise from San Antonio, Chile, and end in Fort Lauderdale on April 7. On March 30 an additional 30-day extension of cruise cancellations was announced, including departures through May 14.