The two ships will be delivered in 2019 and 2020. They will be the thirteenth and fourteenth ships to be built in Italy by Fincantieri for Costa, with a total investment of more than 6 billion euros.
The Costa Group recently announced an order for two new ships from the Italian shipyard Fincantieri, following the letter of intent announced at the end of 2015. The vessels, each with a gross tonnage of 135,500 and a capacity for 4,200 passengers, will be delivered in 2019 and 2020. They will be operated by Costa Asia, the Costa Group's Asian brand, and specifically designed for the Chinese market.
The new Costa Asia ships are part of contracts recently signed by Carnival Corporation & plc and Fincantieri to build five new vessels by 2020 at the company's shipyards in Monfalcone and Marghera (Italy), finalizing a letter of intent that was announced in 2015.
These new Costa Asia ships will be the thirteenth and fourteenth cruise ships built in Italy by Fincantieri for Costa, representing a total investment of over €6 billion. The projects are expected to employ thousands of shipyard workers and employees from allied industries in Italy. The employment benefits extend beyond the shipyards, particularly in the outfitting of the ships' interiors, which involves contracted suppliers, most of them Italian firms.
“We are pleased to continue our long-term strategic partnership with the Italian shipyard Fincantieri. This new investment is expected to generate wealth and employment for Italy as a country. Just like the Costa Diadema, the last Costa ship built by Fincantieri and the ultimate expression of 'Best of Italy,' the Costa Asia ships will also feature innovative Italian design. Furthermore, this new order will allow us to continue building our presence in the Chinese cruise market, which is set to become the second largest in the world by the end of the decade,” says Michael Thamm, CEO of the Costa Group.
The Costa Group was the first cruise 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 join them at the end of April this year. Costa Cruises markets itself in China as 'Italy at Sea,' offering Chinese passengers an authentic Italian and European experience with high-quality hospitality, style, cuisine, and entertainment.
