Fincantieri snags deal for Princess Cruises’ LNG-powered duo

Trieste-headquartered shipbuilder Fincantieri signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with Princess Cruises, a Carnival Corporation brand, for the construction of two LNG-powered cruise ships.

The 175,000-ton vessels which will be the largest ships built so far in Italy with deliveries scheduled in Monfalcone in late 2023 and in spring 2025, the shipyard said in its statement on Monday.

The vessels will accommodate approximately 4,300 guests and will be based on a next-generation platform design, being the first Princess Cruises’ ships to be dual-fuel powered primarily by liquefied natural gas (LNG).

While commenting on the agreement, Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, noted the shipyard has been cooperating with the Princess Cruises brand since its return to the cruise ship industry in 1990.

He added both companies are entering a new era of industry aimed at reducing environmental impact “with an all-time record project, both in terms of size and technological level.”

Fincantieri has built 85 cruise ships since 1990 (62 from 2002), 65 of which for Carnival’s different brands, while other 49, including agreements, are currently being designed or built in the group’s yards.