The VARD shipyard celebrated the cutting of the first steel plate for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' second ship under construction, the Hanseatic Inspiration. At the shipyard's facilities in Romania, Hapag-Lloyd CEO Karl J. Pojer signaled the start of the construction process.
The ship will be delivered in October 2019. “Demand for expedition cruises is three times greater than supply, and with our two new ships, we will be prepared for the future and to meet the needs of the international market,” said Pojer. “Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is growing, which confirms the TUI Group’s strategy in the cruise segment. The Hanseatic Inspiration will be targeted at the English-speaking market.”
The contract for the two expedition ships, which will be a five-star product, was awarded to Norwegian VARD Group, a subsidiary of the Italian consortium Fincantieri. The hulls will be built in Tulcea, Romania, and then taken to the VARG Langsten shipyard in Norway for interior finishing.
