The first steel has been cut to mark the official start of the construction of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ first of two new-build expedition ships, the Hanseatic Nature.
Hapag-Lloyd’s CEO , gave the official start signal for the construction process at the Vard shipyard in Tulcea, Romania.
Roger Vassdal, Senior Vice President for Vard’s operations in Romania, hands over the symbolic steel silhouette of Hanseatic Nature to the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ board of directors. Left to right: Kay Rasmus, CFO of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises; Karl J. Pojer, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises; Roger Vassdal, and Ronny Langset, Senior Vice President /Yard Director at Vard Langsten
With the building of two, identical expedition ships, the company will expand its fleet and enhance its pioneering role in the expedition segment.
In an official ceremony, Roger Vassdal, Senior Vice President for Vard’s operations in Romania, handed over a symbolic steel silhouette of Hanseatic Nature to the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ board of directors.
“After an intense planning stage, we are very pleased commence Hanseatic Nature’s construction process with the first steel cut. The segment of expedition cruises currently offers enormous potential and with two new additions to our fleet next to the very popular Bremen, we are well positioned for the future” says Karl J. Pojer.
The keel laying of Hanseatic Nature is scheduled for June, and the christening and maiden voyage for April 2019. The second ship, Hanseatic Inspiration, which will serve the international markets, will launch six month later in October 2019.