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New Ship Construction Agreement for Marella Cruises
Leading Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has secured a significant contract to construct two state-of-the-art cruise vessels for TUI’s Marella Cruises, specifically tailored for the British audience. The travel conglomerate TUI has formalized a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Fincantieri for the design and building of these new ships, with deliveries scheduled for 2030 and 2032.
First New Builds for Marella Cruise Line
Marella Cruises, whose current fleet comprises refurbished ships, will welcome these as its inaugural newly built vessels. The Marella fleet currently includes substantial cruise liners such as Marella Discovery, Marella Discovery 2, Marella Explorer, Marella Explorer 2, and Marella Voyager. According to Fincantieri, the design philosophy for these new ships will emphasize “environmental sustainability, refined aesthetics, premium materials, and spacious accommodations.”
Strategic Partnership and Shipyard Capacity
Pierroberto Folgiero, Fincantieri’s chief executive and general manager, expressed enthusiasm about the agreement. “We are delighted to embrace Marella Cruises as a new client and to champion their vision as they venture into the newbuild sector,” he stated.
He further commented, “This agreement underscores Fincantieri’s proficiency in establishing strategic collaborations with a growing client base. It bolsters our long-term outlook and guarantees a robust level of workload for our shipbuilding facilities.”
Innovation and Sustainability at the Forefront
Mr. Folgiero highlighted the project’s focus on advanced design and ecological considerations. “This undertaking will integrate our expertise in vessel architecture, innovation, and sustainability to produce ships that fulfill the changing needs of contemporary cruise travelers.”
Multi-Billion Euro Investment in New Vessels
Fincantieri disclosed on its official website that the contract value for the two cruise ships is anticipated to surpass €2 billion (over £1.6 billion).
Fleet Modernization for Marella
These new vessels are intended to replace some of the older ships within the Marella Cruises fleet, according to industry sources.
Delivery Timeline Confirmed
Marella Cruises announced in an official statement, “Following approval from TUI’s Supervisory Board on Sunday and subsequent confirmation of shipyard availability from Fincantieri S.p.A, the initial vessel delivery is projected for the financial year 2031, with the second ship expected to follow in the financial year 2033.”
Renewed Partnership and Future-Focused Design
In a social media update, Fincantieri noted that this nascent relationship between the two organizations, “which reinforces the already strong collaboration with TUI AG, once again reaffirms our distinctive capabilities in constructing increasingly advanced units designed to effectively address future challenges, through innovation and sustainability.”