The keel laying for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ second new expedition ship, Hanseatic Inspiration, has set in motion the next stage of construction.
At the ceremony in the Romanian port of Tulcea on Wednesday (18 October) and in keeping with shipbuilding tradition, the cruise line’s CEO, Karl Pojer laid a specially produced coin in the first steel block of what will become the ship’s hull.
Karl Pojer, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (left), and Tudorel Topa, Vard’s Senior Vice President, with Hanseatic Inspiration’s lucky coin
As with its sister ship, Hanseatic Nature, the coin was welded into the block and will bring the new vessel good fortune on all future expeditions.
The keel laying of the HANSEATIC inspiration at the Vard shipyard in Romania will now be followed by more milestones, such as the float-out of the hull and the completion of the external construction work.
Work on the interior fittings will then be performed at the outfitting pier in Norway and the passenger cabins will be completed.
Once the trial voyages to test seaworthiness and equipment have been completed, the ship will be handed over to Hapag-Lloyd in October 2019 followed by her maiden voyage from Antwerp to Tenerife the same month.
Hanseatic Nature’s maiden voyage will be from Hamburg to Lisbon in April 2019.