Keel Laid for Holland America Line's Ryndam

Holland America Line celebrated the keel laying of its new 2,668-passenger Ryndam on November 21 at Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard in Italy. 

A 505-ton block, about 14 by 34 meters, was lowered by crane into the yard's building dock, marking the official beginning of construction. The block laid was one of 85 blocks in total that will make up the ship. 

The Pinnacle Class ship is the third in the series and is scheduled for delivery in May 2021.

The ship's design will be created by designer Adam D. Tihany and designer and architect Bjørn Storbraaten.

This is the 17th ship constructed for Holland America Line by Italian shipyard Fincantieri, which most recently built Pinnacle sister ship Nieuw Statendam. The cruise line began its relationship with Fincantieri in 1992 with the building of Statendam.

The first Ryndam was part of the Holland America Line fleet from 1901 to 1929, starting as Rijndam before receiving the English spelling in 1923. In 1927, Ryndam I became the first Holland America Line ship to sail a world cruise, although she was chartered as a floating school at sea for that voyage. The second Ryndam served from 1951 to 1973, and the third sailed in the fleet from 1993 through 2015, when she was transferred to sister brand P&O Australia and is now called Pacific Aria.