Fincantieri Cuts Steel for Second Virgin Ship

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has held a steel cutting ceremony of the second of three cruise ships ordered by Virgin Voyages, a part of Virgin Group.

The steel cutting ceremony took place at Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente (Genoa) yard on July 20.

Like its sister ships, the unit will weigh about 110,000 gross tons and feature a length of 278 meters and a width of 38 meters.

The ship is scheduled for delivery in 2021, while the first vessel from the batch, to be named Scarlet Lady, will set sail in 2020 and the third in 2022.

They will have over 1,400 guest cabins that can host more than 2,700 passengers, accompanied by 1,150 crew members on board.

The Virgin Voyages ships will stand out for their design as well as for their particular attention to energy recovery, featuring alternative technologies that reduce the ship’s overall environmental impact.

In a separate statement Finnish company Wärtsilä said that it received a maintenance contract of Virgin Voyages’ three cruise ships. The company will ensure that vessels are powered and operated reliably, efficiently and sustainably.

The ten-year Optimised Maintenance Agreement, signed on April 30, 2018, gives extensive responsibility of maintenance to Wärtsilä. The deal includes Remote Operational Support Services, Specific Fuel Oil Consumption (SFOC) meters and calibration, spare parts and technical advisory services for the engines. In addition, Virgin Voyages will receive technical support and personnel training.

Images: By courtesy of Fincantieri S.p.A., all rights reserved