HANSA 09-2021

SCHIFFFAHRT | SHIPPING

SCHIFFFAHRT | SHIPPING 45 40 35 30 Additions and deletions of capacity 1995 - 2021 in 1,000 beds Net additions Withdrawn Newbuilding orders Expected withdrawals 25 20 15 10 5 0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 © Hader Newbuilding deliveries A lot of new ships were to enter service during 2020. By March, only a few of them had been delivered or where close to take up service. Many more had still been under construction when the shipyards or subcontractors had to halt operations. Some ships were taken over by the operators later in the year and went directly into lay-up. In other cases, the operators refused take-over until the following year. Finally, the list of new ships became considerably shorter than expected at the beginning of the year. Further nine ships were postponed to 2021 with the majority completed in the meantime and delivered to the owners, but not yet in service. Meanwhile, the multiple delays of the »Evrima«, the first in a series for Ritz-Carlton, were not only caused by the pandemic. In addition to the delayed ship deliveries, a lot more had been planned to happen in 2021. However, the 2021 list of deliveries will be shortened by delays from 2021 into 2022. Whether all 16 ships scheduled for this year will be delivered, will depend on the ability of the shipyards to continue to work. Whether the ships will carry passengers after delivery, is another question. The size of 2020 deliveries and the mostly smaller ships which left the fleet could not change the trend of a further increase of the average tonnage of the ships. Klausdorfer Weg 163 | 24148 Kiel | Germany Tel. +49 (0) 431 6 6111-0 | Fax -28 info@podszuck.eu | www.podszuck.eu Ships sold for further trading Most of the sales of ships for further trading were initiated by the Carnival Group. Buyers were Seajets of Greece, Fred Olsen and others. The »Pacific Dawn« of the Australian subsidiary was set to become a »Crypto Cruise Ship« in Panama under the name »Satoshi«, but plans could not be realized and she was acquired by a British company which arose from the ashes of CMV. As »Ambiance« she will set sails again in 2022 for the new Ambassador Cruise Line. The latest sale is that of the first »Aida«. The Royal Caribbean Group reduced the fleet by eight ships when the affiliate Pullmantur was shut down and the majority of its fleet sold for scrapping; the Azamara brand was sold to the new owner Sycamore Partners who added a fourth ship of this class out of the Princess Cruises fleet. Three second-hand ships will be added to the cruise fleet this year when they change from the Hurtigruten coastal service to the now separated organi- 22 HANSA – International Maritime Journal 09 | 2021

SCHIFFFAHRT | SHIPPING sation Hurtigruten Expeditions for permanent use as expedition cruise ships under new names. Ships sold for scrap Very few cruise ships had been sold for scrap in the years before. Demand for cruises and capacity had been strong and the normal life span of cruise vessels had grown to 40 years – this changed suddenly. The operators doubted they would need all their capacities after the pandemic and sorted out their oldest and least efficient ships. Carnival Cruise Line reduced their first large series of eight big ships by four and three of them were soon sent to the largest scrapyard of Turkey at Aliaga. The »Costa Victoria« was first laid up at San Giorgio, but ended also at Aliaga a few months later. At the same place two ships of the Royal Caribbean Group affiliate Pullmantur ended their lives. This multiplication of sales for scrap regarding the tonnage of cruise ships is caused by a drastic decrease of cruise ship values. On the other side, this created a chance to increase the fleet for operators who still had a few millions to spend. The auctions of the CMV ships were such examples. The two smallest ships were directly bought by scrapyards in Turkey and India. Two more were bought by the Greek ferry operator Seajets but ended a few months later on the beaches of Alang. Seajets bought a few more ships and is watching the market. Chances are good to find a buyer who is willing to pay a higher price in one or two years from now. Alternatively, Seajets could establish a new cruise brand with low capital costs. Fred Olsen sold two ships to Turkey as accommodation vessels; one of them was also handed over to ship recyclers in the mean time. In the Fred Olsen fleet the pair was replaced by two younger vessels from the Carnival Group. Japanese organisation Peace Boat acquired two ships on the second-hand market and sold the old »Ocean Dream« to the breakers. One of two ships of Bahamas Paradise Cruises arrived also in Alang. With the »Karnika« (ex »Pacific Jewel«) of the Australian Carnival subsidiary, an Indian newcomer had started a new cruise line which did not survive for long. She ended in Alang as well. This list could still continue if the fates of ships like »Marella Celebration«, »Marella dream« or »Horizon« are finally decided. A total loss is the small »Orient Queen« (ex »Vistamar«) which was scuttled by the disastrous explosion in the port of Beirut. Shipyards The discussions about the sale of a significant stake of Chantiers de l’Atlantique to Fincantieri seemed to have ended several times but came to an unexpected end after all. Authorities did not greenlight the deal and uncertainties caused by the pandemic also acted a a show-stopper. Lloyd Werft of Bremerhaven which has just delivered another mega yacht is up for HANSA – International Maritime Journal 09 | 2021 23