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Cruise shipping meets shipbuilding at SMM next week

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 01 September 2024 01 September 2024

The cruise industry is under enormous pressure to improve its sustainability fast. From 3 to 6 September 2024, SMM will deliver key input to support these efforts. Sustainability is a criterion in selecting ship interiors, as well, as the exhibitors at MARINE INTERIORS @SMM will prove. It is the foremost event for this segment of the European passenger shipping industry, and the only one that includes ferry interiors.

The Cruise Lines International Association’s latest statistic counted over than 31 million passengers, nearly seven per cent more than during the pre-Covid year 2019. But with these numbers comes increased responsibility: The cruise industry is faced with the challenge to reduce its emissions radically. Marie-Caroline Laurent, Director General of CLIA Europe, considers SMM as the perfect platform to drive the industry’s sustainability goals. “CLIA is pleased to partner with SMM for the first time. This will be a key opportunity to network, share views about policy areas of common interest, and showcase the latest environmental advances in our industry that can benefit the entire sector,” says Laurent. With this in mind, CLIA will present an investment plan for decarbonising the entire cruise industry at the flagship fair, along with energy efficiency enhancement solutions that are already used by cruise vessels. Sustainability and cruising are compatible – attendees of the new interactive CLIA exhibition “The Voyage” are welcome to see for themselves (Central entrance, upper level). “SMM showcases everything companies need to build state-of-the-art passenger ships, from engines and bridge technologies to water treatment systems, and through to interior outfitting. Our trade fair shows the full breadth and depth of the industry’s know-how, lending fresh impetus to the discussion about forward-looking developments – you won’t find this anywhere else,” says Claus Ulrich Selbach, Business Unit Director Maritime and Technology Fairs at Hamburg Messe und Congress.

Ship interiors in focus: newcomers meet experts

At MARINE INTERIORS @SMM in Hall B5, more than 100 exhibitors from 20 countries will present their products and solutions for ship interior outfitting. This exhibition is the foremost event for Europe’s Cruise & Ferry Interiors segment. The MARINE INTERIORS @SMM exhibition area will be grouped around the Cruise & Ferry Stage, where around 15 speeches and panel discussions on ship interiors for ocean and river cruise ships as well as ferries will take place. This year, newcomers to the industry will for the first time be able to benefit from the MARINE INTERIORS Discovery Bay: “It is an icebreaker opportunity. This joint exhibition stand is an offer to companies that want to get a foot in the door of the maritime market,” says Christoph Lücke, Director of SMM & MARINE INTERIORS. Participants will include PASS-Medientechnik, 2Gamma, PANELPLUS and Guangzhou Xibo Chemical Technology, among others. Whether newcomer or well-established industry leader: The Cruise & Ferry Route will direct visitors to relevant exhibitors. They can also be found in the Online Exhibitor Directory and the Visitor Guide, as well as in the new Networking Platform app where they are marked with the Cruise & Ferry icon. Furthermore, the Wine o’ clock networking format will provide an excellent networking opportunity daily from 17:30 to 19:00. On Wednesday evening it will be titled Cruise & Ferry Wine o’clock powered by CLIA.

Innovation: future perspectives

The potential of advanced technologies for the cruise industry will be demonstrated by exhibitors such as Brombach+Gess. Headquartered in south-western Germany’s Black Forrest region, the company has developed photovoltaic window panes that generate electricity. What is more, this glass insulates both acoustically and thermally. It filters up to 99 per cent of damaging UV and infrared radiation from sunlight. Other smart products include those offered by the Finnish company Antti Marine (Booth B5-210) whose innovative e-hinges, while looking like conventional ones, are fitted with online connectivity to allow data transmission. This enables a multitude of smart remote control options. Metalcolour has been a specialist in the field of innovative, functional metal coil coatings. The company’s foil-coated steel and aluminium products are primarily used for ceilings, wall panels, doors, bathroom pods, luggage compartments, safety doors and lifts. On the new luxury liner Disney Destiny, the Company is installing 200,000 square metres of coated steel.

Sustainable refitting: always at the leading-edge

A cruise ship's operating life typically exceeds 20 years. Refitting these vessels at regular intervals allows owners to ensure the ships comply with the latest standards in terms of safety, efficiency and environmental compatibility. According to the supplier association VDMA, demand for ship upgrades is increasing: “The IMO carbon neutrality goal is certainly a strong driver of this trend,” says Martin Johannsmann, CEO of SKF Marine, and Chairman of the Board of VDMA Marine Equipment and Systems. Ship interiors are renovated regularly, as well. The Italian De Wave Group is one of the experts in this field. They recently gave a new look to the Arabian cruise ship Aroya and will showcase other projects in the MARINE INTERIORS @SMM area. In early 2024, the Danish owner DFDS invested 10 million euros in refitting their ferries King Seaways and Princess Seaways. “What I love most about refitting projects such as these is to see the metamorphosis of the ship,” says Teun-Wim Leene, Route Director at DFDS. “We begin with the product our customers have known for years; we take it apart, go back to the beginnings, and develop a new experience from it.” DFDS will also be featured on one of the SMM Ferry Panels. Its title: “Introducing eco-friendly fuels on passenger ships – retrofits and newbuilds”. Other members on the panel will include representatives of Stena Line, DNV and the German nature conservation society NABU.

The next biennial, stand-alone MARINE INTERIORS Cruise & Ferry Global Expo will take place in Hamburg from 10 to 12 September 2025 as usual.

CruiseBusiness Magazine is one of the media partners. Our newest issue can be found from the Digital Media Lounge:

SMM Hamburg Digital Media Lounge: CruiseBusiness

Royal Caribbean Group signs agreement with Meyer Turku for the next ship in its Icon Class; adds options for additional Icon-class ships

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 27 August 2024 27 August 2024

Royal Caribbean Group announced today that it has signed an agreement with Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku to order a fourth Icon Class ship for delivery to Royal Caribbean International in 2027. The agreement also includes options to build a fifth and sixth Icon Class ship.

“Building on the incredible momentum and market response to the launch of Icon of the Seas and the excitement for its sister ship, Star of the Seas, coming in 2025, we’re thrilled to join with Meyer Turku once again to expand our roster of Icon Class ships and continue our future growth plans,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “Since its debut, Icon has changed the game in vacation experiences and exceeded our expectations in both guest satisfaction and financial performance.”

“This is great news for Finland. Royal Caribbean Group’s long-term partnership will continue to have a positive impact on our employment and economy,” said Petteri Orpo, Prime Minister of Finland. “Their commitment and investment in Finland speaks volumes about the strength of our maritime cluster and our world class shipyards.”

The first ship in the Icon Class launched in January 2024 as a first-of-its-kind vacation and introduced an all-encompassing lineup of experiences that combines the best of every vacation – from the beach retreat to the resort escape and the theme park adventure. The next ship in the lineup will continue to deliver revolutionary experiences as it joins Icon, Star of the Seas (launching in 2025) and the yet-to-be-named third Icon Class ship (launching in 2026). With this announcement, Royal Caribbean Group continues to drive its moderate capacity growth to help guests turn a vacation of a lifetime into a lifetime of vacations.

"This order is an important milestone for the future of shipbuilding in the maritime network in Finland,” added Tim Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku. “With Icon of the Seas, our team, consisting of the shipyard and partners, have built an extraordinary ship in respect of naval architecture, energy efficiency and customer experience. This is yet another recognition of the professionalism of our personnel and of our leadership in the maritime industry's innovation and green transition. The options underline the strong outlook of our order book.”

Known for its history of delivering best-in-class ships, this also expands upon Royal Caribbean Group’s longstanding relationship with Meyer Turku. With this order, Meyer Turku will have built 21 ships for Royal Caribbean Group over 28 years.

The anticipation for Royal Caribbean Group’s newbuild pipeline continues to grow, with seven new ships on order, and two shipyard options. This year alone, the company welcomed four new industry-leading ships, including Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas, Silversea’s Silver Ray and TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 7. This order also comes on the heels of the company’s announcement for a seventh Oasis Class ship, set to debut for Royal Caribbean International in 2028.

“Icon of the Seas is unlike anything the world has seen before, and we’re just getting started,” added Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “We are leading the vacation industry in developing new experiences for our guests to create lifelong memories, and we continue dreaming and evolving to deliver more ways to chill and thrill.”

This agreement is contingent upon customary conditions, including financing.

Disney Cruise Line announces fleet expansion – four more ships to join the fleet

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 11 August 2024 11 August 2024

Disney Cruise Line — one of Disney Experiences’ strongest growing businesses — is setting course for an ambitious future.

Josh D’Amaro — Chairman of Disney Experiences — unveiled at D23: The Ultimate Fan Event Presented by Visa on Saturday that four new ships will be joining Disney Cruise Line’s fleet.

With five ships in the current fleet and four others already in development, the additional four ships announced on Saturday, which will be delivered between 2027 and 2031, will bring the total size of the fleet to 13.

“Disney Cruise Line is consistently the top-rated cruise line for families because it offers something for everyone. Expanding our fleet gives more people, in more parts of the world, the opportunity to experience a vacation at sea like only Disney can provide,” Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences, said at Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase.

The ship names, designs, and itineraries are still in development.

“Disney Cruise Line is a shining example of the diversity and breadth of experiences that make up the Disney Experiences portfolio – bringing together our signature Disney service, storytelling and innovation,” Thomas Mazloum — president, New Experiences Portfolio and Disney Signature Experiences — said. “Our growing fleet will further strengthen Disney Cruise Line’s position as a leader in family cruising.”

“Disney Cruise Line has produced strong returns on capital investment, thanks to high quality experiences, generating strong guest satisfaction ratings and consistent demand: occupancy reached 97% across its five ships in Q2 2024.

The news of the fleet expansion also builds on an exciting series of announcements for Disney Cruise Line in recent months.

In July, it was revealed that Disney and Oriental Land Co., Ltd. (OLC) entered a new agreement that will bring year-round Disney cruise vacations to Japan, expected to commence by early 2029.

In June, Disney Cruise Line welcomed guests for the first time to Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, the newest destination on the island of Eleuthera, The Bahamas.

And just last week, new details were revealed about the Disney Destiny that will set sail in November 2025. At D23, Josh announced an all-new Broadway-style stage show, “Disney Hercules,” will debut onboard the Disney Destiny.

Fans also got a first look at a new rendering from “Disney The Tale of Moana” at D23.  The new stage show — which premieres on the Disney Treasure later this year — will bring Moana’s unforgettable adventure to life, including her courageous stand against Te Kā, the fiery lava-wielding foe who will appear on stage as an incredible fifteen-foot-tall puppet — the largest ever produced for a Disney Cruise Line show.