Genting Hong Kong News

An international maritime charity based in Germany has unveiled a new ship to promote literacy, education and cross-cultural cooperation across Southeast Asia.The vessel, Doulos Hope, is the fifth in GBA Ships’ fleet, recently launched following a technical refit and outfitting. At 85.5 meters long and 14 meters wide, with a gross tonnage of 3,370 grt and a maximum speed of 13.5 knots, the vessel is the first of a planned fleet designed to reach new regions and operate in shallower waters…

Disney Cruise Line has announced plans to acquire and complete the unfinished cruise ship previously known as Global Dream. The 208,000-gross-ton ship, which was originally being built by the now bankrupt MV Werften shipyard in Wismar, Germany for insolvent parent company Genting Hong Kong's Dream Cruises, has been sitting incomplete as the shipyard's liquidator sought a buyer. The Walt Disney Company's cruise subsidiary on Thursday confirmed plans to acquire the vessel and have it completed at the former MV Werften yard under the management of the Meyer Group…

A luxury cruise ship has skipped its call to Miami and diverted to the Bahamas after a U.S. judge ordered its seizure as part of a lawsuit over unpaid fuel bills.The Crystal Symphony, operated by Genting Hong Kong's Crystal Cruises, was scheduled to conclude a Caribbean voyage in Miami on Saturday, but the ship sailed to the Bahamian island of Bimini instead after a federal judge in Miami granted an order to arrest the 781-foot, Bahamas-flagged vessel over unpaid fuel bills.Bunker supplier Peninsula Petroleum Far East sued the ship and Crystal Cruises…

A German court will rule next week in a case brought by Genting Group against a German regional government after a row over funding for cruise shipbuilder MV Werften, which filed for insolvency on Monday.Genting, led by Malaysian tycoon Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, bought MV Werften in 2016. The pandemic has hit the global travel industry, including cruise operators and led to production stops at shipyards that build cruise ships.Genting's subsidiary Genting Hong Kong said on Tuesday…

German shipbuilder MV Werften has said it has secured a 193 million euro loan from the German government to complete the new polar class luxury expedition ship Crystal Endeavor and to keep the shipyard in operation till March 2021. As reported back in April, Genting's Crystal Cruises announced the Crystal Endeavor's launch would be delayed due to the temporary closure of the MV Werften shipyards during the COVID-19 pandemic.The 164-meter, 20,000-gross-ton Crystal Endeavor was…

Taiwan resumed an island-hopping ocean cruise on Sunday, joining a handful of places in the world to restart voyages after the coronavirus pandemic brought the industry to a virtual standstill.Some 900 holiday makers are adapting to new safety measures when boarding Genting Hong Kong’s Explorer Dream embarking from Taiwan’s northern Keelung port. The company now offers trips of up to five days from Taiwan to its scenic outlying islands of Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu.The cruise resumption is part of a government effort to boost a tourism industry badly hit by the pandemic.

Genting's Crystal Expedition Cruises announced the launch of its new polar class luxury expedition ship Crystal Endeavor will be delayed due to the temporary closure of the MV Werften shipyards during the COVID-19 pandemic.The 164-meter, 20,000-gross-ton Crystal Endeavorc is currently berthed in MV Werften's Stralsund yard for final outfitting and was due to enter service in August before the shipbuilder in mid-March announced a four-week pause on operations at its locations in Wismar, Rostock and Stralsund due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Genting Hong Kong’s six ‘Universal Class’ ships will sport ABB power, propulsion and digital solutions, a  $175 deal for million contract to supply for the industrial giant.The six 286-m ships will be built at MV Werften, shipyards owned by Genting, for delivery in 2023-2024. Each will be outfitted with twin ABB Azipod electric propulsion units, delivering a combined power of 30 MW (40,230 HP), fueled by LNG.The Azipod propulsion system, where the electric drive motor is in a submerged pod outside the ship hull, can rotate 360 degrees to increase maneuverability and operating efficiency.

Genting Hong Kong and its Hong Kong–German shipbuilding group, MV Werften, announced a new Universal Class of cruise ships targeted at customers outside of Genting's cruise brand portfolio of Dream, Crystal and Star.The keel-laying of the second 208,000 gross ton Global Class ship for Dream Cruises took place December 10 at MV WERFTEN in Rostock.The midship section of the Global Class ship is being produced in Rostock. The transfer of the first 160,000 gross ton midship section for the first Global Class ship – the Global Dream – from Rostock to the covered dock of Wismar was completed only two weeks ago.At 235m long and 20 decks high…

Cruise operator Genting Hong Kong (GHK) said that its unit Dream Cruises has launched the construction of the second Global Class cruise ship at German shipbuilder MV Werften  in Rostock-Warnemünde.“Production of Dream Cruises’ second Global Class ship commenced at MV Werften in Rostock-Warnemünde today, almost exactly a year after the keel laying of the flagship of the series," said Genting Hong Kong’s Chairman and CEO Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay while initiating at the press of a button the first steel cutting for the 342m long, 46m wide, 208,000 gross ton cruise vessel.“We are delighted that our comprehensive investments at the three shipyard…

KfW IPEX-Bank, leading a consortium consisting of six international banks, is structuring the financing of two cruise ships for Genting Hong Kong Ltd. and its brand Dream Cruises.The Global Class I and II ships are currently being built in the three shipyards of MV Werften located on the Baltic Coast in the German federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.The financing package comprises around EUR 2.6 billion with a total investment volume of just under EUR 3.1 billion.The structure will be backed by export credit guarantees of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Finnish export credit agency Finnvera, as well as by a guarantee from the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Genting Hong Kong, a member of the Malaysian Genting Group, has reached an agreement to sell a 35% stake in global cruise ship company Dream Cruises to Canada’s TPG Darting, which is owned by TPG Capital Asia and Growth Funds.The company said the deal would strengthen its balance sheet as well as its ability to continue to expand its fleet in the cruise industry.The consideration for the 35% equity interest is US$489 million, valuing Dream Cruises total equity at US$1,397 million. With assumption of net debt of US$1,871 million, the enterprise value of the transaction is US$3,268 million. The transaction will result in a gain of approximately US$470 million…

Dream Cruises, a luxury cruise line owned by Genting and based in China welcome “Explorer Dream” in Shanghai as the third ship in its Dream Cruises fleet.Dream Cruises held the christening ceremony for the former SuperStar Virgo at Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal. Chinese designer Grace Chen served as the godmother and presented a fashion show with 18 models showcasing her 'Voyage' collection, walking a runway on the Palace Pool Deck."Formerly the “SuperStar Virgo” of sister brand Star Cruises, “Explorer Dream” will undergo a US 30 million dollar transformation in March 2019 that will incorporate exquisite new facilities including The Palace…

Hong Kong–German shipbuilding company MV Werften put into operation the laser-hybrid welding line in its new hall 11 for producing panels measuring up to 25 x 16 meters for the Global Class cruise ships.Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Economics Minister Harry Glawe, representatives of Genting Hong Kong, MV Werften , the automation provider Pemamek as well as other project partners were present in the new Hall 11 when the plant produced its first weld seam.“The new plant enables us to make a significant increase in the capacity of our steel prefabrication for the Global cruise ships in Rostock and take a further, important step towards Industry 4.0.

A keel laying ceremony for Dream Cruises’ Global-Class flagship was held at MV WERFTEN’s Rostock shipyard today.At 204,000 gross tons and with 2,500 suites and cabins, the new cruise ship designed specifically for the Asian market will be the largest ever to be built in Germany. The first section measuring 22 meters long, 26 meters wide and weighing 410 tons, about half of the full keel, marks the start of construction.Approximately 1,000 shipyard employees, partners and guests attended event.

After six months of construction, shipbuilder MV WERFTEN and Genting Hong Kong, together with companies tied to the project and representatives of the city of Wismar, celebrated a traditional topping-out ceremony at MV WERFTEN's new accommodation facility – the MVW Alter Holzhafen Beherbergungsstätte. Partners and guests of the shipyard will be able to stay in the facility from 2019.MV WERFTEN will be investing just over 10 million euros in the accommodation project, which is designed to host MV WERFTEN's subcontractors…

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s Prime Minister, Manuela Schwesig were among those in attendance at a keel laying ceremony for the world’s largest polar-class expedition yacht held Tuesday in Germany.The ceremony marked a construction milestone for the 20,000 gross ton luxury expedition yacht Crystal Endeavor, currently being built for Crystal Cruises at MV WERFTEN's Stralsund shipyard.“The keel laying of Crystal Endeavor here in my political hometown of Stralsund marks a special moment for me that is doubly significant…

With a range of dignitaries in attendance, Simwave will officially open its 5,000-square-meter maritime training center in Barendrecht on April 19. The three hundred guests will take a look behind the scenes at the new location, which houses more than 50 simulators. The center has already been in use for some time now. The 'site acceptance test' was successfully completed on January 29th, in collaboration with the supplier of the simulators, the Norwegian company Kongsberg Digital.

Genting Hong Kong appointed travel industry veteran Tom Wolber as President and CEO of Crystal Cruises, effective September 15. Wolber brings to the role over three decades of experience in general management, operations, newbuild construction and business development. He joins Crystal most recently from the Walt Disney Company where he served in various executive roles for 28 years, 10 of which were with Disney Cruise Line where he served as Senior Vice President of Operations. Wolber helped transform Disney Cruise Line into a global cruise line.

Just a few weeks after delivery of the Crystal Bach, shipbuilder MV WERFTEN has handed over the Crystal Mahler, the second of four Rhine Class ships for client Crystal River Cruises. After the ceremonial change of flags, the ship was christened at the outfitting quay of MV WERFTEN in Wismar. Like its sister vessel, the 135-metre long and 11.4-metre wide river cruise ship was specifically designed for exploring Europe’s rivers. It complies with the highest safety and navigation standards…

Shipbuilder MV Werften said it has begun building Crystal’s new luxury expedition yacht, Crystal Endeavor, with first steel cut on January 15 at its shipyard in Stralsun, Germany. Set to debut in 2020, Crystal Endeavor will be Crystal’s largest and most spacious purpose-built Polar Class ship featuring all-suite, butler-serviced accommodations, and adventure in polar regions and other remote destinations. Employees and guests watched as the flame cutter was launched by Genting Hong Kong Chairman and CEO…

MME Group has secured multiple orders for solutions that protect the newest generation of luxury cruise vessels built by MV WERFTEN (Germany) against corrosion and marine growth. The yard's "Global Class" and "Endeavor Class" vessels will be outfitted with MME Group's systems. Recently, MME Group inked the deal for the design, supply and commissioning of sacrificial anodes (SA), Impressed Current Cathodic Protection (ICCP) and Impressed Current Anti-Fouling (ICAF) systems for the Endeavor Class luxury expedition yacht (yard number 124) that MV WERFTEN builds for Crystal Cruises.

MV WERFTEN, the shipyard group is constructing a special accommodation center for subcontractors and guests at the Alter Holzhafen in Wismar; visitors will be able to spend the night in cruise ship cabins. The new building, which comprises 104 rooms, is scheduled to open by winter 2018-2019. Wismar, March 6, 2018 | Today, MV WERFTEN celebrated the official start of construction on its very own accommodation facility – the MVW Alter Holzhafen Beherbergungsstätte – with a groundbreaking ceremony. Assisted by Genting Hong Kong Group President, Colin Au, and Wismar’s mayor, Thomas Beyer, a time capsule containing construction plans, the latest edition of the daily newspaper, a set of euro coins, and the invitation to the event was placed in the symbolic foundation stone.