Fincantieri Delivers Westerdam

On April 17 Fincantieri, based in Marghera, delivered the Westerdam cruise ship to Holland America Line, part of the Carnival group. The ship is the third of a total of four ships to be completed by early 2006. The deadline set by Fincantieri for its delivery has been met despite a fire that broke out in the shipyard last October, damaging three decks. The official presentation ceremony for Westerdam will take place on April 25 at the Marittima station in Venice. The $400m ship has a gross tonnage of 82,000 tons, measures 290 m long and has a carrying capacity of 3,200, including 2,400 passengers and 800 crew). The Westerdam follows recent trends in cruise ship design, with 85 percent of its rooms offering outside views. The ship is part of the 13-ship Vista Class category. Circle 57 on Reader Service Card