Aker Yards and MSC Signed Cruise Ship Contract

Aker Yards has signed a contract with MSC Cruises to build a 4th MSC Musica Class Cruise ship. The MSC Magnifica will be built at Aker Yards, Saint-Nazaire and delivered in 2010. The value of the contract is approximately $546.8m (EUR 410 million.) The contract is subject to financing. Like its three predecessors (MSC Musica, MSC Orchestra and MSC Poesia, this 89,600 GT cruise ship is 294 metres long and just over 32 metres wide, and complies with the Panama Canal Standard. MSC Magnifica will carry up to 4,000 people on board (including crew) and have 1275 passenger cabins, 80% of which being outside. Aker Yards is presently completing the construction of MSC Orchestra, which will be delivered in May. The order book also includes the third sister ship, MSC Poesia (delivery: 2008) and two 1650 cabins cruise ships - MSC Fantasia (delivery: 2008) and MSC Serenate (delivery: 2009).