Cruise ferries keep getting bigger

Just when one ferry company claims it is building, or has just put into service, the world?s largest cruise ferry, along comes another operator announcing it is building an even bigger ship. This game of one upmanship reached new heights when Norwegian ferry operator Color Line recently placed an order for a 2,770 passenger capacity vessel with Kvaerner Masa-Yards (KMY). Valued at $325 million, this 74,600g cruise ferry will be the largest in the world when it is delivered in December 2004 from KMY?s Turku shipyard.

The order includes an option for a sistership and will bring much needed relief to KMY?s hard-pressed shipyards which have experienced a drought on new orders since the collapse of cruise ship demand was compounded by the events of September 11. The ferry operator was encouraged to go ahead with the order following the confirmation of the Norwegian state budget for 2003 which gave the Norwegian international ferry companies a net wage scheme, i.e. the same tax system as their Swedish and Danish competitors.

KMY, which is now part of Aker Kvaerner Yards, the joint management company for the 14 shipyards owned by Aker Yards and Kvaerner, fought off fierce competition from Meyer Werft of Germany and Kleven Ulsteinvik of Norway to win the order.

The newbuilding will replace the 1981 German built 35,438g Prinsesse Ragnhild on the Oslo-Kiel route in late 2004. The option, if exercised, is scheduled to replace the 31,914g Kronprins Harald which was built at the Turku shipyard in 1987.

At a results briefing in August last year, Kvaerner boss Helge Lund warned that contingency plans were being drawn up to scale back at Masa-Yards if fresh orders did not materialise soon.

The contract immediately impacts the workload at the yard?s design department and, from late spring 2003, also the production departments. One of the first to benefit from this order is Rautaruukki, the Finnish steel manufacturer, which will begin delivering 25,000t of shipbuilding plate in April to KMY?s shipyards in Helsinki and Turku.

The ship will have a diesel mechanical propulsion system with four 7,800kW diesel generators and twin propellers driving the vessel at a service speed of 22 knots. Three bow thrusters and two stern thrusters will enhance manoeuvrability.

The ship?s onboard facilities will include a spa-centre, a water park, casino, cinema, show lounge, several discos and restaurants for different age groups and preferences, a separate conference section and an exhibition area. There will also be activities for small children.

Most of the attractions and stores are located close to a large internal ?street?, which is 120m long, with almost nine meters to the ceiling, extending through three decks. This is a feature of some Silja Line Baltic ferries and, more recently, some Royal Caribbean International cruise ships. The ship will also meet the need for transportation of cargo and cars between Norway and Germany. With 2,500 lane metres of cargo deck space, the ferry will have room for 750 cars or a mix of cars and trailers.