HANSA 06-2019

Schiffstechnik | Ship Technology
The group
Fincantieri is one of the world’s
largest shipbuilding groups with
20 locations. Europe’s largest
shipbuilder posted a turnover of
almost € 5.5 billion in 2018, 9%
more than in 2017. 35 ships were
delivered by 15 shipyards, the
annual surplus climbed 30% to €
69 million. Last year alone, orders
were received for 27 ships worth €
8.6 billion, including 14 cruise
ships for eight different customers.
Among others, TUI Cruises
switched from the Meyer shipyard
in Turku to the Italians as a new
customer. The total order book
now contains 116 ships with €
25.5 billion (+16%) in firm orders
and a further € 8.3 billion in agreed
newbuilding options. Cruise
ships account for 54% of Group
sales, naval ships for 24%.
The Fincantieri subsidiary is based
in Caneva, near Pordenone
The factory
Marine Interiors’ base in Caneva, near Pordenone, comprises offices and
production, warehousing and logistics facilities on a site spanning 63,000 m2
(including 30,000 indoors). An additional 7,500 m2 site in Pordenone,
5,000 indoors, has a panel-production factory. Today the factory is producing
12,000 cabins per year and 5,000 wet units and 40,000 m2 of public
areas, serving the four shipyards in Monfalcone, Marghera, Ancona and
Geneva plus Søviknes and Langsten in Norway. The breakdown (on revenue)
is: 60% Italy, 30% Norway, 10% directly to the shipowners. The
breakdown in volumes differs, because the cabins for the luxurary expedition
vessels built in Norway have a higher price. Revenue of Marine Interiors
rose from 30 mill. € in 2014 to more than 220 mill. € in 2018.
© Marine Interiors
as vary a lot, not least following architectural
trends. »In this segment, you
need to be flexible, therefore it is hard to
establish a mass production«, the CEO
states.
»Made in Italy«
According to Cafaro, MI is responsible
for 90% of the cabins that Fincantieri is
using, as well as for 30 to 40% of public
areas.
As it is with Papenburg-based Meyer
Werft, Fincantieri relies on a network
of regional and national suppliers, too, in
case MI is not producing itself. 90% of the
suppliers are located in Italy. Cafaro does
not hide the fact that this structure can result
in additional costs compared to suppliers
from other regions. However, there
is a certain commitment to the initiative
»Made in Italy«. The sheer mass brings advantages
in this respect, Cafaro says: »We
have a long-lasting backlog, so we can leverage
on our scale to obtain a »Made in Italy«
quality at a reasonable price.«
From the factory, by far the largest
share of kits and modules are transported
in containers on the road to the shipyards.
In terms of the logistic chain to the Norwegian
sites, it is around 90%. The rest
is done either by the cruise vessels themselves
when shifting from one production
facility to the yard of final outfitting or
sometimes with smaller container vessels.
Special attention to China
The likewise growing and complex market
China is a very special case – for the
whole cruise industry and Fincantieri, respectively.
The Italians are active with a
joint venture (see box) and want to participate
in the boom of the local cruise industry.
In February, Fincantieri delivered
the first vessels designed especially for the
Asian market, the »Costa Venezia«.
It was like entering a new market.
»Everything goes down to what the ship is
for. It is completely different to entertain
a Chinese. Even the distribution of public
areas is completely different. You have
more gaming areas, different restaurants,
different open spaces«, the CEO emphasizes.
In the medium term, the joint venture
intends to build ships in China with
China-based suppliers. Cafaro says, MI
will be active there: »We will and we are
already structuring a team and the facilities
to be serving the vessels being built
there.« Until then, the Italians will deliver
their interior products to the Far East.
For the first vessels, the logistical process
will be a careful mix, »we will need
to be on the safe side to secure the supply
chain«, what can be a headache, the CEO
adds. So in the beginning, the modules
will be shipped by vessels from Europe
to China. »But of course, when the market
goes up and more vessels will be built
here, we will be more and more establishing
a stance in China.«
More growth potential
Besides the geographical aspects, Cafaro
has more growth potential in mind. First,
there is the interior market itself, in which
MI would like to add further products to
its portfolio. »We are looking carefully to
the development of a plan for galleys. In
terms of production, what we can change
is to increase the production of the panels
also for the wet units and not only for
the cabins. Then we are looking around
to grow our group with adjacent business,
such as glazing, which could be interesting
for us«, he summarizes. Second, the
management sees a growing demand for
the refurbishment of older cruise tonnage.
An increasing number of clients ask
for a corresponding service, as new regulation
comes into force, passengers ask for
modern equipment and the market is still
booming. »We want to grow in this industry
as well«, Cafaro says with a glimpse
beyond existing structures, »even if
the vessels were not built by Fincantieri,
originally.«
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