Costa Newbuilds Set New Capacity Record
Costa Cruises will soon add two LNG-fueled ships to its fleet. They will be the first-ever cruise ships powered by natural gas and, with capacity for 6,600 passengers, they will also break the current world record for the largest capacity cruise ship.
The two new ships are scheduled for delivery in 2019 and 2020. Each vessel will exceed 180,000 gross tons, offering more than 2,600 passenger cabins. With a total capacity of 6,600 passengers, they exceed the capacity of Royal Caribbean International’s Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas which have capacity for 6,296 passengers.
The Costa order is part of a multi-billion dollar contract with Meyer’s shipyards in Turku (Finland) and Papenburg (Germany) which also includes two new LNG-powered ships for Aida Cruises.
Aida and Costa’s parent company, Carnival Corporation, has entered into deals with Meyer Werft, Meyer Turku and Fincantieri S.p.A. for nine new ships between 2019 and 2022.
Costa new ships will be the first in the cruise industry to use LNG in dual-powered hybrid engines to power the ship both in port and on the open sea. LNG will be stored on board the ships and used to generate 100 percent of their power at sea. This will significantly reduce exhaust emissions and help support the company’s aggressive sustainability goals.
“We are honored that Costa Group has entrusted us with the technical design and construction of their next generation ships,” said Jan Meyer CEO of Meyer Turku. “We are building the ships with a strong team in Turku and with the support of mostly European suppliers, who are the best in their field. Among those leading suppliers, there are also a number of Italian companies.”
According to Costa Cruises forecast, about 750 Italian crewmembers are expected to be hired to work on the two ships. Furthermore, Italian style will be featured in the ships’ food and entertainment.
"These new ships will be phenomenal additions to our fleet," said Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation. "Above all, these strategic investments are designed to exceed the vacation needs of our guests, but it is also important to note that these next-generation ships are an important part of our measured growth strategy, which includes replacing less efficient ships with newer, larger and more efficient vessels over a very specific period of time."
The new ship order will also enable the Costa Group, which includes a combined 25 ships across the AIDA and Costa brands, to continue to build on its leadership position in the European cruise market. In 2014, one out of every two cruise guests in Europe, or about 50 percent, sailed onboard a Costa or AIDA cruise ship.
In total, the Costa Group has 27,000 employees working on board its ships and in its 20 offices in 14 countries, serving a total capacity of 68,000 beds across its fleet.