Austal to build Austal Passenger Express 66 catamaran for Groupe DEGAGE

The Austal Passenger Express 66 APETAHI EXPRESS. © Austal

Austal Australasia Pty Ltd has landed a EUR 20.5 million (AUD 32.8 million) order to design and build a 66m high-speed passenger and cargo catamaran ferry for French Polynesia-based repeat customer Groupe DEGAGE.

Over the past two decades, Austal designed and built five ships for Groupe DEGAGE with work on their latest high-speed craft to commence this month at Austal Vietnam, with a scheduled delivery in the first half of 2023.

To be named APETAHI EXPRESS and to operate under the Aremiti banner between Papeete, Tahiti and Vaitape, Bora Bora, the new Austal Passenger Express 66 catamaran features a length overall of 66.4m, 15.2m beam and 1.8m draft. There is seating accommodation for 574 passengers, spread over two decks with an additional 80 seats available on an external sun deck. 

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Financials

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Reports Second Quarter 2021 Financial Results and Provides Business Update

Revenue decreased to $4.4 million compared to $16.9 million in 2020 and GAAP net loss was $(717.8) million compared to net loss of $(715.2) million in the prior year. 

The Company’s advance ticket sales were $1.4 billion, including the long-term portion, which includes approximately $800 million of FCCs as of June 30, 2021.

The Company continues to take decisive measures on its financial action plan to enhance liquidity and control costs in the current environment. As of June 30, 2021, the Company’s total debt position was $12.3 billion and the Company’s cash and cash equivalents were $2.8 billion.

The Company's monthly average cash burn for the second quarter 2021 was approximately $200 million, higher than prior guidance of approximately $190 million and above the prior quarter, as it prepared for a return to service this summer. Looking ahead, the Company expects third quarter 2021 monthly average cash burn to increase to approximately $285 million driven by the continued phased relaunch of additional vessels. 

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WFW advises Virgin on delivery of cruise ship VALIANT LADY

© Fincantieri

Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) has advised Virgin Voyages (“Virgin”) and Virgin’s new cruise venture, on the highly anticipated delivery of their cruise ship VALIANT LADY from top Italian shipyard Fincantieri. She is the second of four cruise ships ordered by Virgin and is expected to be based in the Mediterranean by 2022.

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Tallink Grupp’s new shuttle vessel MYSTAR to be christened and launched today in Rauma Shipyard, Finland, with the Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid as the ships’ godmother

MYSTAR © Sammeli Korhonen

The newest member of the Tallink’s fleet, the most environmentally friendly LNG-powered vessel on the Baltic Sea, MYSTAR, currently under construction in Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) shipyard, Finland, was christened and launched on Thursday 12 August 2021 at 13.00 local Finnish time, at a special ceremony held at Rauma shipyard. 

The christening ceremony took place with the participation of the Estonian President Mrs Kersti Kaljulaid as the ship’s godmother. During the christening ceremony, according to custom, the newbuild vessel was officially named MYSTAR and, immediately after the christening of the vessel, proven seaworthy at a following launching of the vessel whereby the valves to the drydock, where the vessel is built, are ceremonially opened and the sea water is let in the drydock for the first time.

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MSC SEASHORE delivered with Thordon's COMPAC as more cruise ships embrace seawater lubcricated shaft lines

MSC SEASHORE © Fincantieri

The largest cruise ship to be built in Italy has been delivered with a COMPAC seawater lubricated propeller shaft system from Canada’s Thordon Bearings.
The 170,400gt MSC SEASHORE, delivered from Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard last week, joins the smaller 154,000gt Seaside-class vessels MSC SEASIDE and MSC SEAVIEW, both of which were delivered with a COMPAC bearing system in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

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Wärtsilä’s multi-fuel engine technology the choice for two new Australian RoPax ferries

Rendering of the new 'Spirits' for Bass Strait service. © Rauma Marine Constructions

The technology group Wärtsilä will supply the engines and fuel gas supply systems for two new Ro-Pax ferries. The vessels are being built at the Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) yard in Finland for TT-Line Company Pty Ltd, a renowned Australian ferry fleet owner and operator. The order with Wärtsilä was placed in June 2021.

The scope of supply includes, for each ship, four Wärtsilä 46DF dual-fuel main engines, three Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel auxiliary engines, and two Wärtsilä LNGPac fuel storage, supply, and control systems. The engines are future-proofed to operate on alternative green fuels as and when the availability evolves.

The new ferries will have a capacity of 1800 passengers and approximately 2500 lane metres on two freight decks. The first vessel is scheduled for delivery by the end of 2023, with the second one due a year later.

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High-speed emission free catamaran – BELUGA24

Green City Ferries launches BELUGA 24, a new type of passenger ferry for zero emission public transport on waterways. The BELUGA 24 will revolutionize waterborne public transport through energy efficiency, sustainability, and speed. 

Green City Ferries has partnered with two world-leading design companies, Teknicraft (New Zealand) and Sculli Design studios (Italy), to develop this unique passenger ferry. Green City Ferries has full exclusivity to build and sell this type of ship in carbon fibre globally.

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Nichols Brothers Boat Builders delivers second-in-class fast ferry COMMANDER to Kitsap Transit

COMMANDER © Nichols Brothers Boat Builders

Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB) has delivered the second of two 255-passenger-only ferries to Kitsap Transit of Bremerton, Washington. Like the first-in-class-vessel the ENETAI, the COMMANDER out-performed design expectations during vessel trials, delivering to Kitsap Transit; a lighter, faster, and smoother riding vessel.

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SEABOURN VENTURE Reaches Another Milestone During Launch Ceremony in Genoa, Italy

SEABOURN VENTURE render © Seabourn

Seabourn, the ultra-luxury cruise line, marked a major construction milestone with an intimate launch ceremony for its newest expedition ship, SEABOURN VENTURE, at the T. Mariotti shipyard in Genoa, Italy.

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Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel engine upgraded to deliver more power with less energy consumption

The technology group Wärtsilä introduces an upgraded version of its popular and successful Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel engine. The new version will deliver increased power output, have a reduced environmental impact, and will feature a lower fuel consumption. It will also further increase the engine’s fuel flexibility by allowing a much wider gas quality span, down to methane number (MN) 65, while still delivering full output.

DFDS: July volume report: freight volumes continued growing in July

Ferry – freight: Total volumes in July 2021 were 3.3% above 2020. Net adjustments for structural route changes reduced growth 1.8 ppt to 1.5%.

Ferry – passenger: The total number of passengers in July 2021 was 50.7% below 2020 reflecting the continued tight travel restrictions as well as a temporary easing of restrictions in July 2020. Baltic Sea’s passenger volumes continued to be above 2020.

Safely Expanding LNG Bunkering and Storage: A step towards decarbonization in the shipping industry

RINA has been awarded a framework contract by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to support initiatives to increase the availability of LNG in the medium term with small scale bunkering and depots to expand the use of this fuel throughout the Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas. This important, strategic project is aimed at reducing environmental impact by making LNG more widely available for a variety of uses including ferries, cruise ships and tourist activities, as well as promoting LNG road supply chain. RINA will provide a flexible selection of services dealing with safety and feasibility to match project needs in different locations.