Laurent Castaing News

Royal Caribbean Group announced it has entered into an agreement with French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique to order a seventh Oasis Class ship for delivery to its Royal Caribbean International fleet in 2028.“While we eagerly anticipate the debut of Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas this summer, we’re already dreaming up her sister ship and the next installation in the brand’s extremely popular Oasis Class,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group.

MSC Cruises confirmed it exercised options for two new World Class cruise ships from French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique. The liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered newbuilds, currently referred to as World Class 3 and 4, will be delivered in 2026 and 2027. MSC Cruises also holds an option for a fifth ship in the series.The newly ordered ships will be an evolution of the World Class vessels, MSC World Europa and MSC World America, which already perform better than the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) requirement.

Celebrity Cruises announced it has taken delivery of its latest newbuild, the 141,420 GT Celebrity Ascent, built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France. The fourth cruise ship in the line's Edge Series, Celebrity Ascent is 1,073 feet long with a 128-foot beam, 27-foot draft and capacity for up to 3,260 passengers. Equipped with Wärtsilä engines and ABB Azipod propulsion, the vessel cruises at speeds up to 22 knots."Celebrity Ascent features all the innovative and award-winning Edge Series signature experiences that launched a new era in cruise ship design…

Wärtsilä will supply methanol dual-fuel engines for Celebrity Cruises’ latest ship, the fifth vessel in the company’s Edge Series.The OEM will convert two Wärtsilä 46F engines to allow them to utilize methanol as fuel - the second such conversion it has undertaken and the first for this engine type. By adding methanol as a fuel option, emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter are significantly reduced.The full Wärtsilä scope includes two 8-cylinder Wärtsilä 46F engines capable of operating with methanol as fuel…

Celebrity Cruises’ newest cruise ship Celebrity Beyond has departed the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France en route to Southampton, U.K. where the newbuild is slated to commence its maiden voyage later this month.The third in a series of five Edge Series luxury cruise ships ordered by Royal Caribbean's Celebrity Cruises—each reportedly worth $1 billion—the 140,600 GT Celebrity Beyond was delivered on April 6 and departed France on April 15.The 327-meter-long vessel was ordered in 2016…

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCL) just gave confirmation of an order for Chantiers de l’Atlantique, according to a previous option agreement, to build a new Oasis-class cruise ship, due for delivery in the fall of 2023.“At her delivery, she will be the twenty third cruise ship built by our yard for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, and we are especially proud of it”, said Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l’Atlantique."With her outstanding dimensions, the new 2857-cabin ship (hull A35) will belong, like her sister ships of the Oasis-Class, to the category of the largest cruise ships ever built," said a press release.As per some contracts previously signed with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd for Oasis-Class ships…

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.  entered into an agreement with French shipbuilder Chantiers de l'Atlantique to order a sixth Oasis-class ship for delivery in the fall of 2023."This is the twenty-third cruise ship that RCL will be building at our shipyard, and we are especially proud of it," said Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l'Atlantique.This order is contingent upon financing, which is expected to be completed in the second or third quarter of this year.

Chantiers de l'Atlantique and the public works company Charier on November 26, 2018 opened the extension of the pre-assembly area which allows a significant increase in the production capacity of the shipyard.With the work started in July 2017, the yard floor area is now expanded by 17,000sqm, meaning a 30% gain. By lengthening the rail of the 1,400-tonne gantry crane - which is assembling the hull of the large vessels - by 135 m the completed project allows six more mega-blocks…

The French-flag cruise line Ponant is testing the Solid Sail concept on its vessel Le Ponant. Tests are being conducted with maritime construction company Chantiers de l’Atlantique as part of the sailing cruise-vessel project Silenseas, launched two years ago.Two patents have been filed—in 2009 and 2017—for the new type of sail, made of fibreglass, carbon and epoxy-resin panels in a carbon-slat frame. This new technology will significantly reduce energy consumption tied to propulsion, and thus considerably reduce the environmental impact."When Chantiers de l’Atlantique offered to collaborate with us on solid-sail technology, we were immediately interested.

At 362 meters long, 66 meters wide and 70 meters high, Royal Caribbean’s new 228,081 GRT cruise ship takes the “world’s largest” title. Mega ship Symphony of the Seas was delivered today to owner Royal Caribbean International from French shipbuilder STX France who has been constructing the vessel since 2015. The new cruise liner, which boasts 18 decks total with capacity for 6,800 passengers in 2,747 staterooms and is crewed by more than 2,000 staff members, takes the size crown from her slightly smaller sister vessel, Harmony of the Seas.

Shipbuilder STX France hosted a coin ceremony for MSC Bellissima as well as the cutting of first steel for the MSC Cruises’ first Meraviglia-Plus class ship, representing construction milestones for two of the cruise line’s four new ships simultaneously under construction. The other two vessels, MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview, are currently being built at Fincantieri in Italy. The MSC Cruises newbuilds are part of the company’s 10-year, nearly $10 billion investment plan, under which six of 11 new ships will have come into service between June 2017 and November 2020…

Ship owner MSC Cruises and shipbuilder STX France signed a new memorandum of understanding firming up the order of two 200,000 GRT, LNG-powered mega cruise ships, with options for two additional vessels. The four ships will become MSC Cruises’ World Class. The signing took place at the MSC Meraviglia delivery ceremony in the presence of Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, and Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy. In connection with the signing, MSC Cruises and STX France today also unveiled several key features of the World Class.

French industrial group DCNS has delivered LHD (Landing Helicopter Dock) Anwar El Sadat, the second of two helicopter carriers acquired by the Arab Republic of Egypt. The flag transfer ceremony took place September 16, 2016 in the presence of the two Chiefs of Staff of the Egyptian and French navies, Admiral Rabie and Admiral Prazuck, the chairman and CEO of DCNS, Hervé Guillou, and the president of STX France, Laurent Castaing, together with senior French and Egyptian officials.

Celebrity Cruises has taken a bold step in ship design with the signing of a letter of intent for a new class of vessels, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and French shipbuilder STX France announced today. The two 2,900-guest, 117,000-gross-registered-ton ships, developed under the project name EDGE will build upon the modern luxury experience of the brand’s Millennium and Solstice Class vessels. At 984 feet long, 123 feet wide and 190 feet high, Project EDGE will deliver small ship itineraries with large ship amenities, a perfect vacation experience in step with today’s premium vacationer. “The addition of two project EDGE vessels to our fleet delivers on our long-term strategic plan of moderate capacity growth…

Announcement Made as STX France Lays Keel for Third Oasis-Class Ship. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced today that it has agreed with STX France to move forward on the order of a fourth Oasis-class ship for delivery in 2018. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard D. Fain and President and Chief Operating Officer Adam Goldstein, along with STX France Chief Executive Officer Laurent Castaing, announced the planned ship order at the keel-laying ceremony for the third Oasis-class ship at the STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.

Royal Caribbean International (RCI) cut the first piece of steel for its third Oasis-class ship, at the STX France Shipyard in Saint Nazarre, marking the first step in the construction of a vessel that, at approximately 227,700 GRT, they say will be the world’s largest cruise ship. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Richard D. Fain and Royal Caribbean International President and CEO, Adam Goldstein together with Laurent Castaing, chief executive officer, STX France, attended the event at the STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, where the ship will be built.

Luxury cruise ship 'Europa 2' is now in the service of Hapag-Lloyd cruises following delivery by STX France. At a formal ceremony, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has taken delivery of the modern and casual luxury ship Europa 2 from the STX France shipyard in Saint Nazaire. Dr Wolfgang Flägel, Managing Director of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Laurent Castaing, General Manager of STX France, signed the takeover protocol. After 20 months under construction, the management of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises says it has satisfied itself on the outstanding condition of the new cruise ship.

The Grand Port Maritime du Havre and partners officially launched the RORO MAX project on June 10th. This cooperative quality progress approach aims at increasing the competitiveness and development of the trades at the Ro-Ro terminal. An ambition: making Le Havre the reference port for automotive trades. This initiative is the fruit of a synergy between Stevedores, logisticians, yard operators, laboratories and engineering schools. "In Le Havre, we have federated all actors around this project with a three-fold objective: developing trades in order to reach 500,000 new vehicles in 2015, being recognized as a reference port in Europe, developing services and added value to attract new customers," Laurent Castaing, Chairman of the GPMH Management Board, stated.

At the STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, two commemorative coins are welded to 'MSC Preziosa’s' mast radar, to mark a construction milestone. Earlier this year, following the termination of the agreement with the original owner, MSC Cruises signed a contract to take over the 140,000-ton cruise ship. Renamed MSC Preziosa, she will be the 13th addition to the MSC Cruises’ fleet, as well as the fourth ship in the series of Fantasia class ships. MSC Preziosa is 1,092 feet long, 124 feet wide, and weighs 140,000 gt and the 4,345-guest luxury cruise ship will have a speed of 23 knots.

The companies agree to jointly make wind turbine and foundation offers on major European projects. AREVA will bring its expertise in design and production of wind turbines and STX France its know-how in specialized offshore foundations, with a view to strengthen competitiveness of offshore wind power in a European market that should see its installed base reach around 40,000 MW by 2020. STX France would, in addition to designing the foundations, be responsible for complete or partial manufacture of the structures. Almost one third of investment expenditure in offshore wind farms is generated by the manufacturing, logistics and installation costs associated with the foundations and turbine towers. Their optimization is therefore a major lever for reducing overall project costs.

Royal Caribbean International chooses STX France to build its third 'Oasis- class' ship. This, the third ship of the Oasis- class, is due for delivery in mid-2016, and an option for a second ship due in mid-2018 is also provided for in the contract. "The Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas have fundamentally transformed the cruise experience for our guests," said Richard D. Fain, chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "These ships have consistently generated outstanding guest satisfaction ratings and continue to produce superior financial results.