Royal Caribbean Orders Cruise Ship from Aker Yards

Royal Caribbean International orders a new generation cruise vessel from Aker Yards. The contract price being approximately $1B, which is reportedly the most valuable ship ever ordered in the history of commercial shipbuilding. The 220,000 GRT ship, a prototype developed under Project Genesis, will be delivered from Aker Yards, Finland in autumn 2009. The order means 5,800 man years of work for the yard. The contract includes an option for a similar vessel. Taking a huge leap of 43 percent in size from the new record breaking "Freedom of the Seas" to be delivered for Royal Caribbean from Aker Yards in April, the new giant of the cruise market will be 360 meters long, 47 meters wide, 65 m high above waterline and accommodate 5,400 passengers. The previous deliveries from Aker Yards to Royal Caribbean include eleven newbuildings, and there are three more in the present orderbook, the world's largest cruise vessels in the Freedom class, to be delivered in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Consisting of 18 newbuildings, the total value of the order book of Aker Yards in Finland is some 4.3 billion euro after this contract.