The Costa Group reaches an agreement with Fincantieri to build two new ships for Costa Asia

The two ships will be built in Italy and delivered in 2019 and 2020. With this new agreement, the Costa Group has eight new ships on order, with a total capacity of 45,000 beds, bringing the total fleet capacity to 110,000 beds.
The Costa Group has announced an agreement with Fincantieri for the construction of two new ships for the Costa Asia brand, expecting to execute the final contracts in 2016. The ships, each with a gross tonnage of 135,000 and a capacity for 4,200 passengers, will be built in Italy. They will be specifically designed for the Chinese market, joining the fleet in 2019 and 2020.
The new Costa Asia ships are part of a memorandum of understanding signed by Carnival Corporation & plc and Fincantieri to build four new ships by 2020 at the company's shipyards in Monfalcone and Marghera, Italy.
The new ship projects are expected to employ thousands of shipyard workers and those in related industries in Italy. The employment benefits will extend even further, particularly regarding the outfitting of the cruise ships' interiors, with the involvement of contracted suppliers, most of them Italian firms.
Thanks to this agreement, the Costa Group has eight new ships on order, with a total capacity of 45,000 berths (four for the German brand Aida Cruises; two for the Italian brand Costa Cruises; and two for Costa Asia), bringing the total fleet capacity to 110,000 berths.
“We are very pleased to be able to continue this long-term strategic alliance with the Italian shipyard Fincantieri. We expect that the new investment will generate wealth and employment for Italy as a country. Just like the Costa Diadema, the latest Costa ship built by Fincantieri and the finest expression of the Best of Italy, the Costa Asia ships will also incorporate an innovative Italian design style. Furthermore, this agreement allows us to continue building the cruise market in China, which will become the second largest in the world by the end of the decade,” said Michael Thamm, CEO of the Costa Group.
The Costa Group was the first company to enter the Chinese market in 2006. Three Costa ships are currently deployed in China and Asia year-round: the Costa Atlantica, the Costa Victoria, and the Costa Serena. A fourth ship, the Costa Fortuna, will be added in April 2016. Costa cruises are marketed in China as 'Italy at Sea,' offering an authentic Italian and European experience for Chinese passengers, with high-quality hospitality, style, cuisine, and entertainment.