Salvaging firm Royal Boskalis has been awarded a $30-million contract by Carnival Corporation, owner of Costa Cruise Lines, to remove the wreck of the Costa Concordia cruise ship. The ship will be lifted onto a transport vessel next summer to be moved and dismantled. A ship developed for moving oil platforms, known as a Dockwise Vanguard, will be used for the operation.
According to Boskalis, the Vanguard is the world's largest semi-submersible ship. It is designed with a flat front and back and a deck of 900 feet by 230 feet. It operates by filling ballast tanks with water, allowing it to sink belowe the water level. Boskalis is still in talks with Carnival and Italian authorities as to where the ship should be broken up for scrap, with the debate remaining over whether or not the ship will remain in Italy for the duration of the procedure.
Norwegian Cruise Line unveiled the names of its two new Breakaway Plus ships: Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Bliss. These names received the highest number of votes in the "Norwegians Name Their Ships" contest, where fans in five countries were asked to select the names of the two new vessels out of the line's top ten prospects.
The contest ran from September 10 through September 24, 2013, garnered more than 100,000 votes from Norwegian fans located in five different countries, including the United States, Canada (excluding Quebec), Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom. All those who submitted a vote for their favorite Breakaway Plus ship names were entered into a random drawing to win a trip for two to the first Breakaway Plus ship’s inaugural festivities, including round-trip coach airfare for two, ground transportation, balcony stateroom accommodations (double occupancy) and on-board meals.
Norwegian’s new Breakaway Plus ships will be the largest in the line’s fleet at approximately 163,000 gross tons and 4,200 passenger berths each and will be similar in design and innovation to the line’s current Breakaway class.
Holland America Line promoted Cyril Tatar to VP, newbuilding and Seabourn technical operations. In this role, he will be the principal liaison to the shipyards for design and coordination of current and future newbuilds for both the Holland America Line and Seabourn fleets, including the Holland America Line Pinnacle Class ship due for delivery in February 2016. Additionally, Tatar will continue to lead technical support and services for Seabourn.
Most recently Tatar was director, technical operations for Seabourn. Tatar will report to Dan Grausz, EVP, fleet operations.
“In his new role, Cyril will bring a high level of professionalism to our newbuilding programs that will ensure that the next generation of Holland America Line and Seabourn ships are superior in all respects,” Grausz said.