Industry news
NEWS
Vard delivers exploration ship Le Commandant Charcot to Ponant
3 august | vessels
French cruise firm Ponant has received an expedition cruise ship, named Le Commandant Charcot, from Fincantieri subsidiary Vard.
The vessel is a hybrid electric polar exploration ship featuring ice-breaking technology and powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The ship has been developed by Ponant, in collaboration with Stirling Design International, Aker Arctic and Vard. Construction was carried out by Romania’s Vard Tulcea and Norway’s Vard Søviknes.
Weighing 30,000 gross tonnes, Le Commandant Charcot has been equipped with Fincantieri’s specialised entities and Vard’s products and solutions. The 150m-long and 28m-wide vessel can operate at a cruise speed of 15 knots in open water. Along with 215 crew members, it can carry 245 passengers in 123 staterooms.
As a Polar Class PC2 vessel, Le Commandant Charcot features green technologies, including 100% waste sorted on board and waste treatment.
It will be equipped with instruments and facilities for conducting research, offering a platform to study water, air, ice, and biodiversity in extreme polar regions.
The vessel will operate in remote regions, such as Northeast Greenland’s National Park, the Geographic North Pole, and circumnavigation of the Svalbard archipelago. Furthermore, it will sail in the Bellingshausen Sea, Charcot and Pierre I Islands, Weddell Sea, and the Larsen Ice Shelf.
2 august | vessels
Fincantieri delivers Holland America Line’s new cruise vessel
Holland America Line, a division of Carnival Corporation, has received a new cruise ship, named Rotterdam, from Italian shipbuilding company Fincantieri.
The handover took place at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Venice, Italy.
With a gross tonnage of 99,800, the 300m-long ship can carry around 2,668 passengers in 1,340 cabins.
The vessel has been designed by two architecture studios, Tihany Design and Yran & Storbraaten.
Rotterdam is equipped with technology to reduce environmental impact and optimise energy efficiency while responding to prevailing safety regulations.
The vessel features amenities and innovations introduced with its sister ships. Furthermore, it includes the Rolling Stone Rock Room and other venues for live music at sea, as well as a dining room and wide range of culinary venues.
30 july | FUEL
Nutrien and Exmar to collaborate on ammonia-fuelled vessel
Canadian fertiliser company Nutrien has partnered with Belgium-based Exmar to jointly develop and construct a low-carbon, ammonia-powered ship.
The companies will work together to choose an ammonia engine as well as the supply system manufacturer.
They will also select a shipyard for the construction of the vessel, with plans to deploy it as early as 2025.
The vessel will use Nutrien’s current low-carbon ammonia supply, from Geismar, Louisiana, US, for fuel.
With this partnership, the companies aim to promote the commercial development of an ammonia-fuelled ship, as well as minimise Nutrien’s maritime transportation emissions.
They will focus on facilitating low-carbon ammonia usage as a clean fuel for the maritime sector.
29 july | PORTS
Port of Townsville completes Channel Upgrade project’s rock wall
The Port of Townsville in Queensland, Australia, has completed the construction of the 2.2km rock wall that forms part of the $171.71m (A$232m) Channel Upgrade project for widening its shipping channel.
This development will enable vessels of up to 300m in length to dock at the port, instead of bypassing Townsville.
Last December, the Port of Townsville awarded a contract for this project to Hall Contracting, a privately owned dredging, civil and marine construction company.
Around 900,000t of rock was supplied by seven local rock suppliers for the construction of the 10m-high rock wall.
With the project slated to finish in 2023, dredging is anticipated to take two years.
Under the project, the port will also invest around $12.56m (A$17m) for environmental monitoring and management programmes.
The Channel Upgrade project, which is said to be the biggest infrastructure project in Townsville Port’s history, is being executed as the first stage of the 30-year Port Expansion Project.
This project is a joint project of the Australian and Queensland Governments, along with the Port of Townsville.
It is being executed under the Townsville City Deal, which was signed in December 2016.
In brief
Saudi Arabia launches first cruise ship terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port
Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has collaborated with Saudi Cruise Company to introduce the first cruise ship terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port in Saudi Arabia.
Established by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Cruise was launched in January at the Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The latest development also comes ahead of the launch of the first cruise from the country for the Bellisima ship, which will sail from Jeddah Islamic Port to stations in Egypt and Jordan.
Through cruise operations in the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf, the company aims to back the expansion of the local tourism sector.
MSC and team to develop oceangoing hydrogen-fuelled cruise ship
MSC Group’s Cruise Division, Fincantieri and Snam have signed a memorandum of understanding to mutually determine the conditions for the design and construction of an oceangoing hydrogen-fuelled cruise ship.
This is said to be the world’s first oceangoing cruise vessel that would operate using hydrogen.
As part of the study, the partners will evaluate the feasibility of the project, which would allow certain operations to become emission-free.
The companies will investigate the key factors associated with the development of an oceangoing hydrogen-fuelled cruise ship over the next 12 months.
Carnival Cruise Line’s fleet to expand by two more vessels
Carnival Cruise Line is expanding its fleet with the inclusion of a further two ships by 2023.
In 2023, the company will receive an Excel-class ship that was formerly assigned to its sister brand AIDA Cruises.
In addition, Carnival Cruise Line will take delivery of Costa Magica from another of its European sister brand.
Costa Magica will be subjected to a dry dock overhaul and Carnival-branded conversion.
After being rechristened, the vessel will join the Carnival Cruise Line fleet by 2022.
Hyundai Motor signs agreement for hydrogen fuel cell propulsion systems
Hyundai Motor Company, Hyundai Global Service and Korean Register (KR) have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop and commercialise hydrogen fuel cell propulsion systems for marine ships.
This agreement marks Hyundai Motor’s debut partnership on the application of its fuel cell-powered technology in shipbuilding.
This collaboration will create a platform for the partners to identify and assess business prospects for fuel cell-powered vessels.
According to the agreement, Hyundai Motor will provide fuel cell systems and technical support.
Hyundai Global Service, a subsidiary of Hyundai Heavy Industries, will be responsible for the production and commercialisation of these systems.
