17 Despite the challenges involved, Pastorino highlights the satisfaction of completing a shipbuilding project. “Managing shipbuilding and refit projects is one of the most exciting and most difficult jobs I can imagine,” he says. “It can be physically tiring and mentally draining, yet when you finish a job and watch it sail away full of happy passengers it reminds you to give due thanks and respect to everyone who has played a part in the project. What they all do individually and together as one big team is really quite amazing.” Pastorino’s pride in the team he helped to build at IMA is clear as he speaks about their value throughout his career. “I’ve been very fortunate with the IMA team,” he says. “NCLH has acquired a group of people that don’t need me now and I see that as a victory for everyone involved. I’ve been involved in some incredible projects, seen some sliding door moments and had a fair share of luck in my career to date, but the people I’ve encountered along the way have given me the memories that I’ll treasure the most.” As he steps away from cruising, Pastorino has three wishes for the industry and its future. “Firstly, I hope that the industry can fulfil its sustainability vision – I don’t think that it can happen as fast as regulators want, even though the industry has a willingness to invest that will enable it to reach its goals,” he says. His second wish again displays his willingness to break with convention. “One day, I’d really love to see a cruise ship that looks completely unrecognisable alongside the silhouette of the ships that we’re building today,” he says. “Land-based architecture and design has delivered an extraordinary variety of imaginative new buildings and I wish the same might happen for the cruise industry in the future.” Pastorino is also hoping for greater competition to develop in the shipbuilding industry, which he believes can help facilitate the development of new designs. “The yard problem needs to be resolved – if you want to build a ship that’s bigger than 220,000gt you only really have a choice of two yards,” he says. “This leads to a battle for building slots and that limits your design and innovation window.” While he is now leaving IMA, Pastorino’s legacy in the cruise industry is assured, through the ships that bear the quality hallmark of his personal touch and through the people that he mentored who will continue to innovate and redefine shipbuilding traditions. Reflecting on his proudest moments, Pastorino cites his first and last ship deliveries – Marina and Seven Seas Splendor – as highlights, along with Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Prima class for the scale of the project and the extent of the innovation that the ships represent. “I’m leaving the cruise industry with very positive memories,” he says. “ NCLH has acquired a group of people that don’t need me now and I see that as a victory for everyone involved” The entrance to the Galaxy Pavilion onboard Norwegian Prima, one of the largest projects carried out by IMA Photo: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings KEYNOTE
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=