Ocean Liners News

Italian cruise line Costa Cruises on Thursday held a christening ceremony for its new flagship, the Costa Toscana, in the port of Barcelona, Spain.The LNG-powered, Italian-flagged ship sailed away from Civitavecchia, Italy on Monday, making a stop in Naples on Thursday, before arriving in Barcelona on Thursday for the christening ceremony. The 337-meter ship is one of the largest ocean liners and can accommodate 6,554 passengers. Chanel, a Cuban-Spanish singer, dancer, and actress…

Pemamek has provided automated welding solutions to the shipbuilding industry for more than 25 years. Modular lines consisting of everything from simple robotic welding systems to entirely integrated plate preparation, joining and finishing operations can be built according to customer needs. But, according to Michael Bell, Sales Director for Pemamek LLC, the North American subsidiary of Finland-based Pemamek Oy, their systems are customizable for all types of vessels ranging from sub birthing barges…

Britain’s over-50s holidays group Saga said on Tuesday total cruise bookings stood at 140 million pounds ($191.3 million) as it prepares to restart sailing in May after a torrid year for the travel industry due to the global health crisis.Mass vaccination drives have offered hopes for a revival this year but the industry faces fresh uncertainty as new variants of the coronavirus force some countries to bring back curbs, threatening a quick return to normalcy in leisure travel.The owner of Saga Holidays and Saga Cruises has mandated vaccinations for its travelers after customer feedback, cut guest capacity and has a multi-layer COVID-19 testing in place as it looks to attract customers after a year of suspension.“We are ready to restart both Cruise and Tours in May…

Royal Caribbean Group said on Monday testing passengers for COVID-19 was “very likely” going to be part of a new set of safety measures planned to get its ships to resume sailing after months of being docked.The company’s shares rose as much as 11% in early trading.“We have not yet reached a point in our protocols where we’re ready to publish and release for discussion. But it’s very likely that testing will occur,” said Michael Bayley, chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean International.Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line are working on new safety standards…

A real estate development company is looking for a U.S. city to become the new home for one of America's most historic ocean liners.Having reached a deal with the ship’s nonprofit owner last year, RXR Realty has been developing a plan to restore the famed SS United States and this week issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) seeking a permanent waterfront location where America’s Flagship, once restored, will be able to relive its former glory.At the time of its launch in 1952…

The commercial shipping world can benefit from greater range of communications and reduced satellite costs. Domestic brown water operators know all too well that’s easier said; than done. Until now.In the fast moving world of blue water, deep draft shipping, the availability of reliable ship-to-shore communications has been a non-issue for at least two decades. More than ever, they need it. These longtime users of so-called ship management software and now, sophisticated remote monitoring systems that watch over even the most obscure minutia on board far flung 1,000 foot ocean liners, need (and get) robust and reliable communications.On the domestic, brown water side of the equation? Not so much.

As the global cruise industry enjoys it most robust period of growth ever, the question invariably becomes: How long can it last?Cruising, which is a blend of the hospitality and maritime businesses, continues to grow at a historic pace. The Cruise Trends & Industry Outlook publication from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) projects a passenger count of 30 million in 2019 – up nearly 2 million from the previous year. By year end 2019 CLIA members – a veritable ‘who’s who’ of the largest brands – will have 272 vessels…

Designer Tomas Tillberg’s quest for freedom breaks down barriers and expands to China, where his team builds China’s first expedition cruise ships putting Antarctica - and the most remote, mysterious parts of the world - within reach.All for freedom. Freedom for all. Tomas Tillberg could be Harley Davidson’s new poster boy. As he views the open road from behind his handle bars, he’s filled with an amazing feeling of personal freedom.With formal training from Royal Academy of Arts in Stockholm, Tillberg’s artistry expresses his aspiration for independence.

France will temporarily nationalise the STX France shipyard to prevent an Italian firm taking majority control, the economy minister said on Thursday, marking President Emmanuel Macron's first big industrial policy decision. As France's most avowedly pro-business leader in decades, few would have predicted the former investment banker's first big move in the corporate sector would be a nationalisation. However, his action fits with the interventionist style of other postwar French leaders. It also crosses into the defence sector, where many national governments prefer to wield influence over ownership. The Italian state-owned shipbuilder Fincantieri rejected a French offer this week of 50-50 ownership of the shipyard…

French govt has made 50/50 ownership offer to Italy; Minister says offer on the table until Thursday. The French state said on Wednesday it would nationalise the STX France shipyard if Italy does not accept its offer to split STX's capital equally, putting down a marker on the limits of economic liberalism under new President Emmanuel Macron. The threat raises the stakes in a standoff with Rome over the shipyard's fate, the only one in France with facilities large enough to build aircraft carriers. Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said nationalisation would give the state more time to find a better shareholder deal, but even if temporary, it would mark the first major state intervention in the corporate world by Macron's government which was elected on a pro-business platform.

GE’s Marine Solutions recently provided an extensive upgrade service to one of the world’s most famous ocean liners, the Queen Mary 2 (QM2). The upgrade service with new technology supplied by GE was completed in just 18 days. Twelve years after equipping the QM2 with original propulsion motors, GE was chosen to carry out multiple crucial upgrade activities on Carnival’s flagship liner, for example: a controls upgrade, the replacement of oil distribution boxes on steerable pods, modification of harmonic filters and general maintenance on the propulsion plant.

U.K. shipbuilder Cammell Laird held one of the largest ceremonies in its history when Sir David Attenborough joined more than 1,000 people for the keel laying of the new £150 million polar research vessel. Construction was officially started by the world-renowned naturalist and broadcaster, after whom the ship is named, at the ceremonial event at Cammell Laird’s famous Birkenhead site in Liverpool City Region. Sir David started the keel laying process by initiating the lifting by crane of the first hull unit on to the construction berth.

Three of the world’s largest and grandest ocean liners - the Queen Mary 2, the Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Victoria  - paid a historic visit to salute the city of Liverpool, the original home of their owners, cruise-line company Cunard, which this year celebrates its 175th anniversary. Over a million people gathered to watch the massive ‘Three Queens’ as they returned to the birthplace of the Cunard dynasty, which revolutionised transatlantic travel in the 19th century. Founded in Liverpool in 1840 by Samuel Cunard, a Canadian businessman who won the first British steamship contract to deliver mail across the Atlantic, the company then started to welcome passengers and grew rapidly. Within 30 years, it was employing some 11,500 people and had amassed a fleet of 46 ships.

Once queen of the express liners, and the fastest, safest and biggest passenger liner in history, the SS United States today quietly awaits rescue from a pending cruise to the scrapyard. The Big Ship the Big U, the one that didn’t sink. The S.S. She is waiting for a rescue that may never come from an appointment with the scrap yard looming large on her summer schedule. And that would be a shame according to her many supporters, not the least of which was the late newsman and sailor, Walter Cronkite.

The  cruise ship 'MV Costa Fortuna' was warmly welcomed on its intitial visit to Abu Dhabi, which it will follow with regular weekly calls until March 2014. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Acting CEO, Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) handed over a commemorative plaque to Captain Massimo Garabarnio to officially mark the ship’s maiden call to the city. Owners, Costa Cruises, say that the 'Costa Fortuna' carries 2,720 passengers and 1,027 crew. The  cruising speed of the 273m long ship is 20 knots and she is of 102,587 gt.

OOCL Bangkok took center stage at the Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard as the sponsor, Mrs. Betty Tung, delivered an Encomium that blessed the mega vessel, as well as her cargo and all the people who will sail with her. In his ceremonial address, Mr. C. C. Tung, Chairman of Orient Overseas (International) Limited, thanked everyone who had contributed to the success of the newbuilding and highlighted the importance of the new mega vessels to OOCL. “In today’s challenging global economic environment…

The 'All-Russian Killer Waves Research Center' opens in the country's far eastern city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. The center will focus on research of extreme waves in the ocean and work on prediction of the dangerous phenomenon and development of protective measures. Killer waves, also known as "rogue waves" or "freak waves," are relatively large and spontaneous ocean surface waves that occur far at sea, which could even be a threat to large cargo ships, ocean liners and oil platforms. The natural phenomenon has drawn attention of scientists around the world in the past few years. Up to 35-meter-high waves occur many times in all oceans every year and it is already known that killer waves are not produced by a single distinct cause…

BiblioBoard offers 'Titanic: A Historical Collection' with  50+ books, images and articles to read on the iPad. Titanic: A Historical Collection offers early accounts of the Titanic sinking, works by and about Titanic passengers and more documents about the Titanic tragedy. For $15.99, you can own a curated universe of historical artifacts on the topic, including more than 50 books, images and articles, accompanied by expert commentary. The Anthology is available on BiblioBoard…

The Postal Service will salute the U.S. Merchant Marine on four forever stamps July 28 at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY. Admission is free and the public is welcome to attend the 11:30 a.m. dedication ceremony that takes place in the Ackerman Auditorium, 300 Steamboat Rd. Since the founding of the republic, the United States has looked to the commercial maritime industry for much of its growth and security. This issuance pays tribute to the U.S. Merchant Marine, the modern name for the maritime fleet that has played this vital role.

Netanya, Israel, March 14, 2011 – ORBIT Communication Systems, Ltd., a Satellite Communications, Tracking & Telemetry, and Communications Management Systems provider, today announced that it has appointed new regional sales directors in Europe and Latin America for its Satellite Communications (SatCom) Business Unit. Mr. Michel Rieken has joined ORBIT Communication Systems Europe as Director of Sales and Business Development. Having worked over 20 years in the telecommunications industry, including 12 years in satellite communications, Mr.

On Sunday, January 13, 2008, Cunard Line operator of The Most Famous Ocean Liners in the World will, for the first and only time, sail their three liner Queens – flagship Queen Mary 2, famed Queen Elizabeth 2 and the new Queen Victoria -- together out of New York harbor. The regal fleet is scheduled to depart at 6:30 p.m. Queen Mary 2 will depart from her home port, Brooklyn Cruise Terminal while QE2 will depart from Pier 92 and Queen Victoria will depart from Pier 88 both at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Then, the three Queens will rendezvous and sail past the Statue of Liberty during a spectacular fireworks celebration at approximately 7:00 p.m.

Costa Costa Fortuna has taken to the open sea for the first time. Costa Crociere’s new flagship which, with her 105,000 gross tonnage, is the largest cruise ship in the history of Italian seafaring, today left Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyards, where her fitting out is nearing completion, bound for the builder’s Palermo yard. This crossing will be used to carry out sea trials. On the way from Genoa to Palermo Costa Fortuna will be subjected to various preliminary operational tests on her systems, equipment and engines.

Cunard is delighted to confirm that Her Majesty The Queen will name the company's new flagship Queen Mary 2 at a ceremony to take place in Southampton, England, on Thursday, January 8, 2004. Her Majesty will be accompanied by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. The launch will be a milestone in British maritime history and will be a major event of worldwide interest. According to Pamela Conover, president of Cunard Line: "This will be an historic occasion in the true sense of the word. The Queen honoured Cunard by launching our current flagship QE2 in 1967, and we are delighted Her Majesty has agreed to do the same for our next transatlantic liner, Queen Mary 2.