Northern Ireland-based company to refit Star Cruises' Star Pisces in Shenzhen in January 2018
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Northern Ireland-based interior outfitters MJM Group is to refit Star Cruises’ Star Pisces, marking the first time it has carried out a dry dock in China.
Star Pisces will start her 19-day dry dock in Shenzhen on 8 January, where MJM Group will carry out a series of works in 15 separate areas across five decks. The team will renovate several public areas including casinos, restaurants and retail spaces.
“The cruise industry within China has been growing substantially with forecasts predicting that some sevrn to ten million passengers will cruise from China by 2030,” said Gary Annett, MJM Group’s chief executive. “As a result, cruise companies are commissioning new ships and refurbishing existing liners for their Chinese customers which is where the opportunities for MJM Group lie. We have been working hard to break into the Chinese market and are delighted to announce our first drydock contract in China. Northern Ireland has had a long maritime industry and MJM Group is proud to represent our industry within the Chinese marketplace.”
MJM Group has already produced some components at its factory in Northern Ireland to help expedite the outfitting process.
“This project is working to a very tight timeframe with just 14 weeks from the awarding of the contract to handover,” said Shauna O’Hare, contracts director for MJM Group. “We have already manufactured various components in our factory in Newry which have been dispatched in containers to join the vessel for the refit to be completed by a team of over 85 MJM Group skilled workers.”
Star Cruises is the second brand in the Genting Hong Group to work with MJM Group. The company recently refurbished areas onboard Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Symphony.
“Our dry dock contract in China with Star Cruises, which is the leading cruise line in Asia-Pacific, marks a significant and very exciting milestone in the MJM Group story,” said Annett. “We are the world leader in marine interior fit-outs throughout the rest of the world and our aim is to expand this reputation to include Asia. Star Pisces represents the start of a new chapter in the ongoing success of MJM Group.”