Newbuilds in the MSC, Norwergian, HAL, Viking and Royal Caribbean fleets will feature company's flooring
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Bolidt Synthetic Products & Systems is to install decking systems on a number of next-generation cruise ships under construction at shipyards in Finland, France, Germany and Italy in 2016.
MSC Cruises has commissioned Bolidt to supply Bolideck Future Teak, Bolideck Select Soft Teak Effect, Bolideck Select Soft and Bolideck Select Hard for four Vista-class vessels on order at STX France. These include MSC Meraviglia, her sister ship and two Meraviglia-Plus vessels, which are due for delivery in mid-2017, early 2019, October 2019 and September 2020 respectively. The company will install balcony decks in block stages on MSC Meraviglia to save time and money.
“If we install in block stages, the blocks are already inside the big tents which are required to protect them,” said Jacco van Overbeek, director of Bolidt’s maritime division. “As a result, there is no need to provide any additional weather protection to install the balconies once the blocks have been put together for the complete vessel. What is important, and is appreciated by the yard, is that we are flexible enough to be able to accommodate this way of working.”
Bolidt is also working with STX France to outfit Royal Caribbean International’s Harmony of the Seas, which is due for delivery this May. The 227,000gt vessel will feature Bolideck Future Teak, Bolideck Select Soft Teak Effect, Bolideck Select Soft and Bolideck Select Hard.
Expanding its long-term relationship with the Meyer Werft group, Bolidt will fit Royal Caribbean’s 167,000gt Ovation of the Seas with Bolideck Future Teak, Bolideck Select Soft, Bolideck Select Hard and Bolidt Helideck before her April 2016 debut.
Also at Papenburg, Bolidt will add Bolideck Future Teak, Bolideck Select Soft, Bolideck Select Hard and Bolidt Smart Balcony to Norwegian Cruise Line’s China-bound Norwegian Joy in Papenburg, Germany. The 163,000gt vessel is scheduled for delivery in March 2017.
Meanwhile, at the Meyer Turku yard in Finland, the company will supply Bolideck Future Teak and Bolideck Select Soft for TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 6, Mein Schiff 7 and Mein Schiff 8, which to debut in 2017, 2018 and 2019 respectively.
Bolidt has worked with engineers at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard to fit 4,700sqm of Bolideck Future Teak decking to Holland America Line’s first 99,500gt Pinnacle-class vessel Koningsdam, which is due to set sail this April. Also set to be delivered from the Marghera yard this spring is Viking Cruises’ 47,800gt Viking Sea, which will feature Bolideck Future Teak and Bolideck Select Hard.
“To have so many newbuilding projects underway at once, and to still have an excellent on-time delivery record, is a reflection of the hard work and flexibility of Bolidt’s installation teams,” said van Overbeek. “We pride ourselves on our excellent cooperation with the yards and our ability to adapt to accommodate their wishes during the installation phase.”
In addition, Bolidt is also cleaning and renewing the Bolideck Future Teak decking on more than half of Viking River Cruises’ fleet – 32 vessels – at European ports this winter as part of the line’s annual maintenance programme. A total of 18 will be refurbished in Cologne, Germany, while nine will be refitted in Vienna, Austria and five will undergo work in the French ports of Bordeaux and Rouen, or the German ports of Mainz and Duisburg, depending on their itineraries.
”We have been carrying out this annual deck refurbishment programme for Viking for a number of years now and it has proved to be extremely successful,” said van Overbeek. “It improves the visual appearance of the vessels, but also ensures safety levels are maintained by keeping the surface ‘as new’, while ensuring in-voyage maintenance is kept to a minimum.”