HANSA 02-2018

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Schifffahrt | Shipping
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over more years than the companies on
the more saturated English speaking
markets. The average age is not considered
as a reason for investment; however,
exchanges of ships between the brands
happen in the group.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, the largest
brand of all, plans a growth of 38%
by adding some more of the largest ship
(types). RCL still has two ships of the Oasis
class and two of the Quantum class on
order. In the beginning of 2022 the group
will also introduce 5,000 pax giants from
Meyer Turku. By extending the deliveries
over seven years the annual growth of
capacity will be limited. This looks more
dramatic in the case of Celebrity (50%),
but when a smaller company adds one series
of ships to two existing series, this
may easily result in a growth of 50%.
Norwegian Cruise Line also has 50%
more capacity on order with deliveries
spread over eight years. Moreover,
NCL is heavily engaged in the Chinese
market. The order book included three
more Breakaway-Plus class vessels for
4,200 pax last year. One of them, the
»Norwegian Joy« was delivered during
the last twelve months and NCL signed
Order book in Order 1,000 book gt in 1,000 gt
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Order Book
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end '17
38 HANSA International Maritime Journal – 155. Jahrgang – 2018 – Nr. 2
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contracts with Fincantieri for four
3,300 pax ships and two options for delivery
between 2022 and 2027. Together,
it is a huge number of 28,200 new beds,
but in fact only one new ship per year. A
single further vessel is currently on order
for the affiliated brand Regent Seven Seas
and none for Oceana.
Really breathtaking are the activities
of Mediterranean Shipping Cruises
(MSC). Having lengthened the four
smallest of their twelve existing ships,
they have started two series of newbuildings
including orders and options. The
first of these ships commissioned is the
»MSC Meraviglia« with 171,598 gt and
4,500 beds. She will be followed by a sister
and two increased units of this class.
»MSC Seaside« with 4,140 gt – a type
with more open decks and spaces to better
enjoy the sunny seas like the Caribbean
– was delivered a few months after
»MSC Meraviglia« in 2017. The construction
of the sister ship »MSC Seaview«
had been fixed while a third one
remained an option for a long time. At
the occasion of »MSC Seaside’s« delivery
MSC not only confirmed the option but
turned it into a contract for two further
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vessels with increased size of 169,000 gt,
all four to be built at Fincantieri. STX
France had further options for a third
class of 200,000 gt and 5.500 beds. The
maximum capacity of 6,850 is said to
be the highest of any cruise ship. Meanwhile,
at least two of them are also confirmed.
At the end 2017 the MSC fleet
amounted up to 40,000 lower beds. The
capacity of the eight ships under construction
sums up to 40,700 beds and
the MSC fleet is already now among the
youngest big fleets.
The German TUI group fleet shows
the highest age and the lowest growth.
The three brands are very different: Hapag-Lloyd
has two elderly expedition vessels
of which one will be replaced by two
new ones. TUI Cruises will have the
youngest fleet of all in 2019 when the
last two newbuildings will replace the
two oldest ships. Then all six ships of the
brand will have been delivered within the
last six years. Marella Cruises – the new
name of English TUI subsidiary Thomson
Cruises – will give back elder charter
vessels and instead get the oldest TUI
ships. Also the transfers from Royal Caribbean
do not have the age to change the
average age positively.
Smaller players in the game
So far concerning the analysis of the bigger
groups. There are also some smaller
companies in the newbuilding market,
but their growth rates cannot be compared
with the other ones because of their
small size or lack of history resulting in
irrelevant growth rates. Some highlights
of these are:
• l No big news came from the Genting
Group. The first two six stars »Rhine«-
class river cruise ships were introduced
and two more will follow in 2018. The
»Crystal Endeavour« and two sisters
with 200 beds/20,000 gt for Crystal
Yacht Expeditions are confirmed as
well as the first two 200,000 gt giants
with 5,000 beds for the Asian brand
Star Cruises, all to be built on the East
German MV Werften. The 3,360 bed
»World Dream« inaugurated in 2017 for
the sister brand Dream Cruises came
from Papenburg.
• l Disney Cruises, currently having four
ships with 8,500 beds in operation and
two more with 2,500 beds under construction
in Papenburg for completion
2021 and 2023, has extended the order
book. The third new order could be
placed between the two others.