MILAN, Oct. 22 (Class Editori) -- With the cutting of steel sheet, the construction of the first cruise ship in China at the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding shipyard with the participation of Fincantieri has officially started. It is the first of a double series to be followed by another four units with deliveries starting in 2023.
The recipient is the newborn cruise company Cssc Carnival Cruise Shipping Limited, which will be managed by the Costa Crociere Group in Asia and from which it will receive next year the first two medium-sized ships with which it will already be able to start offering its own itineraries.
Sheet metal cutting brings with it two changes: not only the beginning in China of an activity which used to be exclusive of the great European shipyards, thanks above all to the long and reliable chain of sub-suppliers that the construction of these giants of the sea entails, but above all the final cost of the ship that will be around 770 million dollars, 20% less than today's prices for similar ships in Europe.
Therefore the challenge is complex and wide-ranging, as indirectly confirmed by Zhou Qi, vice president of Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding, who revealed that the contract for the construction of the two ships will require the contribution of around 500 different suppliers and over 12 million man hours of work.
The new contract originates from the first Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed in 2017 by Fincantieri, China State Shipbuilding Corporation (Cssc) and Carnival Corporation & plc aimed precisely at the construction of cruise ships that will be the first units of this kind ever built in China for the Chinese market. The agreements were signed both on behalf of the joint venture between Fincantieri and Cssc Cruise Technology Development Co., and of the joint venture between Carnival Corporation and the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co. shipyard, also part of Cssc.
Cssc Carnival is an American-based strategic jv, based in Hong Kong, launched in 2015, which sees 60% of the Chinese with two public companies, the China Investment Corporation, the powerful sovereign wealth fund, and China State Shipbuilding Corporation.
The design of these new buildings will be customized according to the specific preferences of Chinese customers for the new Chinese cruise brand of the joint venture between Carnival Corporation, Cssc and Cic Capital, which will also handle the units from a commercial point of view
"Looking at the global scenario means trying to broaden its boundaries, laying the foundations to further increase business prospects and access even the most complex markets. Without such a commitment there is the possibility of remaining competitive in the medium and long term" said the CEO of Finacantieri Giuseppe Bono. "We are therefore convinced that today's agreement represents an example of industrial collaboration capable not only of reaffirming our leadership in the cruise sector, but also of creating a virtuous system between the two countries" he added.
The joint venture established by Fincantieri and Cssc Cruise Technology Development Co. Ltd will license the technology platform and a series of technical services to Sws, including project management, supply chain management and sales of essential ship components and systems.
"It is a strategic decision for CSS to enter the cruise sector in collaboration with Carnival Corporation and Fincantieri," said the president of Cssc Lei Fanpei. "Through partnerships with leading companies on the international scene, we will build an entire industrial chain, ranging from design to the construction of cruise ships, including the supply chain. Our cooperation continues to receive great support from the Chinese government at central and local level, and we hope to continue our win-win partnership to ensure delivery of the first large cruise ship to be built in China by 2023."
China represents a booming market for the cruise industry, which currently has a low penetration rate, with long-term projections that forecast the growth of tourism, and which should lead the country to become the largest market in the world of vacation on board.
(Source: Class Editori)
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