Cruise shipbuilding in China

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The cruise ships in China played a minor role so far, but was on the future strategic industry explained.

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In terms of shipbuilding , China was already the world's leading country in 2017 with 769 ships delivered, 23.74 million GT and 11.86 million CGT measured, ahead of South Korea with 293 ships, 23.42 million GT and 10.53 million CGT . China has more than 1,600 shipyards, a third having difficulty surviving due to overcapacity and quality standards. An inventory with the aim of structuring the Chinese industry and shipyard landscape resulted in a so-called white list with 51 shipyards that play a role in national and international competition.

Construction of cruise ships "Made in China 2025"

China is also striving to become the global leader by 2025 in the strategically important areas of shipbuilding and marine technology , especially in the technically very complex cruise ships , which have so far been built almost exclusively at shipyards located in Europe. The central political strategy " Made in China 2025 " envisages the goals of at home and abroad by upgrading special shipyards and its own supplier industry as well as with the instruments of Chinese company investments or even takeovers (such as parts of Wärtsilä ) To achieve “Made in China 2025”.

Own cruise industry

Global cruise ship passenger numbers

In March 2014, the Chinese Ministry of Transport presented an official paper on building its own cruise industry. There is u. a. contain that imported cruise ships may not be older than ten years. A year later, expansion plans for the twelve future Chinese cruise ports were presented.

In 2016, 2.1 million Chinese passengers took a cruise and, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (Clias) , came second after the USA (11.5 million) and ahead of Germany (2.0 million) in the year worldwide passenger ranking. China is the fastest growing market and is expected to grow to around 10 million cruise passengers by 2026. More than 20 large cruise ships from the predominantly western shipping companies are active in this market, and cruise ships are becoming scarce.

In November 2014, the largest participants in this market, Carnival Corporation as the operator, Fincantieri as the shipyard and CSSC as the largest Chinese shipyard group, signed a general agreement on the construction and operation of cruise ships.

In October 2015, the Carnival Corporation signed a joint venture agreement in China with CSSC and China International Capital Corporation (CIC), the sovereign wealth fund of the People's Republic, in London . The contract was signed with the participation of British Prime Minister David Cameron and Chinese President Xi Jinping . 60% of the shares hold CSSC and CIC, the remaining shares were taken over by Carnival Corporation.

  • Costa Atlantica

  • Costa Mediterranea

  • Vista class

The newly created Chinese cruise brand CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping Limited is to buy ships from the Carnival Corporation's fleet and use them with their home port in China. Furthermore, the new cruise ships built in China will later have their base here. The Costa Atlantica and Costa Mediterranea were taken over as the first ships .

On February 22, 2017 in Beijing in the Great Hall of the People in the presence of the Italian President Sergio Mattarella and the President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, a binding letter of intent on cruise shipping was signed between CSSC, Fincantieri and Carnival . The letter of intent was signed by Giuseppe Bono (CEO Fincantieri), Wu Qiang (President CSSC) and Michael Thamm (CEO Asia Carnival, Costa Group). It concerns two joint ventures to build and operate cruise ships in China.

The Fincantieri press release as a quote:

"Trieste, February 22nd, 2017 - Fincantieri, China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and Carnival Corporation & plc signed a binding Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the construction of two cruise ships with the option for another 4, the first units, ever built in China for the Chinese market. The parties signed the MoA on behalf of the joint venture between Fincantieri and CSSC Cruise Technology Development Co. (CCTD), the joint venture between Carnival Corporation and CSSC, and Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd (SWS).

The agreement, set under certain terms and with an approximate value of $ 1.5 billion for the first two ships, updates the terms announced on September 23 between the parties CIC Capital, CCTD and SWS Develop and support the growth of China's cruise industry. The historic MoA was signed by Fincantieri's CEO Giuseppe Bono, Michael Thamm, CEO of Carnival Asia and Costa Group, and Wu Qiang, President of CSSC. The signing ceremony took place today in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the occasion of the 4th Italy-China Economic Forum, attended by Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The new ships will be built at the SWS shipyard, part of the CSSC group. The design will be tailored to the specific tastes of Chinese travelers and for the new Chinese cruise brand of the joint venture between Carnival Corporation, CSSC and CIC Capital, which will also operate the units. The first delivery is expected in 2023. "

Shipyards

In 1982 the state-owned China Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) was founded, in which the most important shipyards were integrated. In 1999 the CSSC group was split into two regional areas. The shipyards in the southern region around Shanghai , Guangzhou and other port cities in the provinces of Jianxi and Anhui remained in the CSSC shipyard group. The main shipyards in the northern part of China, especially in Bohai Bay, have been concentrated in the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC).

Supply industry

In January 2015, Wärtsilä sold 70% of its two-stroke diesel engine division (around 350 employees) to CSSC. The remaining 30% was brought into the joint company Winterthur Gas & Diesel (WinGD) based in Winterthur (Switzerland) in order to develop and construct two-stroke marine engines for the world market. In 2016, the Chinese state-owned company CSSC took over 100% of WinGD.

Construction of two cruise ships in China (+ 4 options)

Specifically, Asia Carnival and the CIC placed an order for two cruise ships worth 1,500 million US dollars with an option for four more newbuildings. The construction is being carried out at the CSSC subsidiary Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding according to the design license of the Vista class built by Fincantieri with a length of 323 m, a measurement of around 134,000 GT and a capacity of around 5,000 passengers. Under the terms of the agreement, Carnival Corporation will be involved in site supervision. Delivery of the first of these ships is planned for 2023. The technology platform , the know-how and the key components come from Fincantieri . The design will be tailored to the special tastes of Chinese tourists and to the new Chinese cruise brand of the joint venture between Carnival Corporation, CSSC and CIC Capital, which will also operate the units.

Literature and further information

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Karl-Heinz Hochhaus: Shipbuilding "Made in China 2025" . In: Schiff & Hafen , issue 10/2018, page 26, DVV Media Group, Hamburg.
  2. ^ Karl-Heinz Hochhaus: Shipbuilding "Made in China 2025" . In: Schiff & Hafen , issue 10/2018, page 27, DVV Media Group, Hamburg.
  3. ^ Karl-Heinz Hochhaus: Shipbuilding "Made in China 2025" . In: Schiff & Hafen , issue 10/2018, page 28, DVV Media Group, Hamburg.