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IMEX to deliver surprise and creativity with new Discovery Zone

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Holograms, robots, magic, music and art are among the surprises set to inspire and delight attendees at IMEX in Frankfurt, taking place 21- 23 May.

The show’s new Discovery Zone is packed with education and experiences to fire up the imagination of event planners and exhibitors alike. It’s designed to help them to question the conventional and explore fresh approaches to business events, with a strong emphasis on ‘experiential’.

Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, explains: “There are some surprises in store for attendees this year! We don’t believe in ‘business as usual’ and are always evolving and looking for new and engaging ways to encourage innovation in the industry – our new Discovery Zone is the perfect way to do this.”

Robots and holograms

Many innovations at the Discovery Zone turn conventional thinking on its head. Think a piano is played using hands? Think again! ‘Mister Piano’ is a walking piano played using the feet and attendees can put their fancy footwork to the test to hit the right notes. Attendees can also go hands-on and tap into their inner artist at a painting party, craft their own bespoke luggage tags and even take part in fire-infused magic tricks. A talking robot, holographic show and 360degree photography booth are also among the engaging experiences this year.

Practical applications of event tech, diversity and a firm focus on future-thinking all form part of a packed program of sessions at The ZEUS Innovators Club. Attendees will also find the Inspiration Hub – the show’s learning powerhouse – in the Discovery Zone, with sessions covering hot topics such as sustainability and diversity to business skills and creative learning.

Tap into your creative streak at the new Discovery Zone

Fresh green grass and a swing

Prepare for sensory overload and explore the great outdoors while dining indoors at the show’s food court – this has been transformed into Central Park, complete with trees, grass and even a swing! Attendees can also kick back with table football, table tennis and other games for some purposeful rest and relaxation.

Carina Bauer continues: “We know our show delivers significant business benefit to buyers and exhibitors. We also know it’s important for them to have the time and space to experiment, discover new experiences and gather fuel for fresh, innovative ideas. Our new Discovery Zone is set to deliver a huge dose of creativity, with a few surprises along the way. Inspired by this year’s Imagination Talking Point, we asked….what if we wove more experiential and fun elements into the show? What if that translated into more business benefit for everyone attending?”

As well as exploring the new corners of the show, attendees can explore new corners of host city, Frankfurt, thanks to a new interactive accommodation booking map. The map on the IMEX website, powered by Stay 22, provides a simple and efficient overview of many of the independent accommodation options in and around the German city.

Some of the IMEX team took an extended day trip to Frankfurt earlier this year to sample hidden coffee shops, bars, museums and parks in the city. They share memories and tips here.

IMEX in Frankfurt takes place 21 -23 May 2019. Registration for the show is free of charge and open to all who work in the meetings, events and incentive travel industry. EduMonday, its pre-show day of learning and development, is on 20 May (no charge to attend) at Kap Europa next to Messe Frankfurt. 

 

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Arab Hotel Investment Conference is back: Why it’s so amazing

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Last year, the move of the 14th Arab Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC) from Dubai Jumeirah Madinat to the neighboring Emirate Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) was a huge challenge.

Ras Al Khaimah is where? It is one-hour drive from Dubai Airport.

Arriving at midnight at Dubai Airport, and driving  on a sheer endless straight highway through the desert, it certainly was an entirely new experience: no skyscrapers, no traffic jams, nothing but a totally  empty highwa  which is normally clogged up during the day, with only some camels walking along enroute during the night.

After the one-hour drive, all of a sudden there was a wake-up call as lights of a monumental building like a Fata Mogana (mirage) emerged from the horizon. Getting closer, it was not a Fat Mogana but the newly-opened Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

Photo © Elisabeth Lang

As the function rooms at the Waldorf Astoria hotel were not big enough to host the AHIC event with  nearly 2,000 delegates, a gigantic fully-airconditioned tent was built just for this event and only for the 3 days of the conference.

We are talking about a cost of nearly 2 million dollars set in the sand for a humongous fully-equipped tent with the latest technologies – Wi Fi, a TV broadcasting studio, and a revolving stage. Just amazing!

BBC Hard Talk presenter Stephan Sackur, who had just arrived from ice-cold Moscow, was interviewing Russia’s Foreign Secretary, Sergej Lavrov, and then found himself on the beach on a revolving stage the next day with a colorful audience and an outside temperature of 45 Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit).

Photo © Elisabeth Lang

A red carpet was rolled out for the rulers and dignitaries of Ras Al Khaimah and the entire region with people rushing towards the AHIC village on the beach.

Ras Al Khaimah is the most authentic and UAE’s second-smallest emirate and is quietly boosting its tourism, free zones, and real estate.

Despite being the second smallest emirate in the UAE with a population of just 400,000, strong real estate and hospitality sectors, as well as corporate giants such as RAK Ceramics and Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries (Julphar) have helped RAK avoid the oil-related economic crisis of its neighbors.

During AHIC 2019’s opening, the Ras Al Khaimah ruler launched a contest to create a “unique” resort.

The ruler, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi of Ras Al Khaimah, launched the Grand RAK Project competition which is open to delegates registered at the event.

Photo © Elisabeth Lang

Sheikh Saud said: “We support projects and concepts that spark creativity and place Ras Al Khaimah at the forefront of the tourism sector which aims to create a new resort that is unique to the emirate.

“Sustained growth is already the hallmark of Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism industry, and we seek to ensure this continues by utilizing our strategic tourism plan to reach well-defined targets.”

Working in teams combining hotel designers and operators, entrants will have 3 months to prepare a preliminary concept vision supported by a high-level feasibility appraisal.

The winning project will be allocated a coveted beachfront location.

Photo © Elisabeth Lang

The judging panel for the Grand RAK Project includes Abdullah Al Abdooli, Managing Director and CEO, Marjan; David Daniels, Director of Architecture, SSH; Filippo Sona, Managing Director, Global Hospitality, Drees & Sommer; and Kevin Underwood, Principal, HKS Hospitality Group.

While the UAE remains RAK’s strongest market, representing about 40 percent of total visitors, Europe is gaining ground. The number of German tourists to RAK grew by 53 percent last year, followed by 28.5 percent growth from the UK, 25 percent from India, and 4 percent from Russia.

The Government of Ras Al Khaimah has an established history in the tourism sector commencing with the opening of the first internationally-branded hotel back in 2001 and is galloping forward on a large scale.

Photo © Elisabeth Lang

With the launch of the first Arabian Hotel Investment Conference last year, the spotlight shone on Ras Al Khaimah. The program, featuring more than 100 speakers from around the world, has been curated around this year’s theme with a focus on addressing the current tensions in the owner-operator relationship, uncovering innovative approaches to business, analyzing future market demand trends, and fostering harmonious relationships between all stakeholders in order to sustain growth and prosperity

In his speech, Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of AHIC, said:

“It is evident to me that we are going through transformational change within the Middle East’s hotel investment market. As more supply comes online and the market becomes increasingly competitive, the dynamic of the owner-operator relationship has shifted. As the landscape becomes more competitive it is key that all parties are working together towards the same goals. With this backdrop in mind, together with our advisory board and partners at Insignia, we concluded that evolution in 2019 is not about creating disruptive moves but about finding constructive steps that create an environment of clarity and collaboration. Hence, we came to our 2019 theme, Synchronized for Success.

“Synchronicity not just in relationships but in the alignment of business strategy with what is happening in the broader macro-economic environment as some of the most ambitious projects of our generation are announced and social transformations, technical innovations, and shifting consumer behavior are changing the hotel investment landscape at a staggering pace.”

How can business be synced with these new dynamics?

The visionary industry leader, Stardom Speaker Sebastien Bazin, Chairman & CEO of ACCOR, will address the AHIC community on “What is your compass during times of disruption, innovation, and global turmoil?”

Conference Chair Stephen Sackur will take a break from his day job as host of HARDtalk and head back to the beach as he has been assigned one job at AHIC 2019 – to ask the questions the industry wants addressed the most so that attendees walk away with the insights they need.

Synchronized for success? Three owners and three operators will sit down with Stephen Sackur to discuss how they are “Syncing for Success.” Never in the history of the hotel industry has there been such a rapid build-up of hotel rooms. How does the industry cope and what business models are evolving that will help retain and attract more owners and investors? Stephen Sackur will present these tough questions to the operators.

Who else is there? Among the speakers are:

The Managing Director & CEO of Marjan responsible for creating and designing Ras Al Khaimah’s key freehold master plans including the spectacular Al Marjan Island, a world-class tourism development offering excellent opportunities for investors.

Abdullah Al Abdouli, Head of Investment & Finance, The Red Sea Development Company which is creating an exquisite ultra-luxury destination within a pristine 28,000 km² area that includes an archipelago of more than 50 unspoiled islands, volcanoes, desert, mountains, nature, and culture.

Jay Rosen, Chief Executive Officer, Public Investment Fund, Amaala, and ultra-luxury development that is part of an integrated approach to developing Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast focusing on wellness, healthy living, and meditation. The development will cover an area of more than 3,800 sq. km. and will target more than 2,500 hotel keys.

The Chief Executive Officer of RAK Properties has drawn regional and global interest for launching state-of-the-art luxury hotels, resorts, and malls. With more than $540 million worth of available capital, the company is behind the Anantara Mina Al Arab, Ras Al Khaimah, and the 350-key InterContinental Ras Al Khaimah Mina Al Arab Resort.

The AHIC 2019 is taking place from April 9-11 at the AHIC Village, Ras Al Khaimah.

This copyright material, including photos, may not be used without written permission from the author and from eTN.

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Climate Resilience Program for Travel & Tourism announced at WTTC Global Summit

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Speaking today at the WTTC Global Summit in Seville, Professor Geoffrey Lipman, SUNx Co-founder and President of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP), a travel and tourism coalition of global destinations committed to quality service and green growth, announced the launch of a Lifetime Learning program to support the Tourism sector as it transforms to Climate Friendly Travel. He said:

“Deep down, most people know, Travel & Tourism must respond to the eXistential challenge of Climate Change, must fully align with the Paris Agreement targets, and must play a leading role in the Green New Deal paradigm shift. Our sector is a central part of the human activity – social, economic and environmental: its influence and impact are growing: its role in development is fundamental. Mobility is a part of our DNA.”

SUNx – a legacy program for Maurice Strong, the father of sustainable development – has crafted the start of a response. “Plan For Our Kids” will create 100,000 STRONG Climate Champions in all UN States by 2030.”

Alongside Professor Lipman were program partners Robin Ingle CEO of leading Canadian-based global travel risk management and travel insurance provider Ingle International Inc., and Hamish Keith, CEO of South Asia Travel specialist EXO Travel Group.

Working with Ingle International as its first global sponsor and EXO Foundation as the first regional sponsor, SUNx want to help prepare the next generation of decision makers, as well as help companies and communities connect with them.

Just 50 STRONG Climate Champions in each State, every year for the next decade will see a global movement of 100,000 by 2030. They will be from the Greta Thunberg generation. They will have the same vision, commitment and tenacity.  They will help to build the thinking; drive the behaviour, identify innovations and influence the fundamental government and industry actions needed to deliver Climate Friendly Travel.

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Carlos Vogeler starts leading position at Ministry of Tourism in Oman

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It appears the implementation of the National Tourism Strategy of Oman is in excellent hands. Last week Carlos Vogeler started a two-year contract with the Ministry of Tourism of Oman, where he is now leading a team that will support Minister Ahmed bin Nasser Al Mahrizi and his team on implementation.

Carlos Vogeler was considered by many leaders as one of the most influential executives in the travel and tourism world when he served as the executive director of UNWTO under Secretary-General Taleb Rifai. Together with Korean Ambassador Dho Young-shim, Mr. Voegeler was a candidate for UNWTO Secretary-General in 2017.

Mr. Vogeler was with the World Tourism Organization for 9 years. He was honored on November 29, 2017, at the UNWTO Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth in Montego Bay by the Hon. Ed Bartlett, Minister of Tourism of Jamaica.

Before Mr. Carlos Vogeler joined UNWTO in 2005 he was a tenured professor at University “Rey Juan Carlos”, Madrid, at the Dpt. of Business Economics, a regular lecturer at Spanish and International Universities and author of various university textbooks, as well as numerous articles on international tourism structure.

Mr. Vogeler started his career in the private sector at Pullmantur, one of the largest Spanish Tour Operators. During his sixteen years of service from 1974 to 1990, he became Deputy Managing Director and introduced many innovations, namely expanding the number of destinations and products and opening new offices and new markets. He also played an active role in the board of directors of the Spanish Travel Agencies Association of Travel Agencies and in UFTAA (United Federation of Travel Agent’s Associations), where he chaired the committee on road transportation.

From 1991 to 2008 he served in various senior management positions at Group RCI, part of Wyndham Worldwide, one of the world’s largest hospitality groups, quoted in the New York Stock Exchange, where he was Managing Director for South-Western Europe, covering Spain, France, Portugal and Benelux and later Vice president of Global Account Strategy & Industry Relations.

He was elected Chairman of the Affiliate Members of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) from 2005 to 2008, representing Group RCI. Since 1997 he had been serving as Vice President of the board of the Affiliate Members and Chairman of the Business Council and member of the UNWTO Strategic Group.

He is also a founding member of the Spanish Association of Experts in Tourism (AECIT) and was a member of the International Association of Experts in Tourism (AIEST).

Carried out his studies in Canada and in Spain, graduating in Tourism Business Administration by “Escuela Oficial de Turismo de Madrid” (now University Rey Juan Carlos) and post-graduate by the IESE Business School, of the University of Navarra – Spain.

Mr. Vogeler was born in Venezuela of Spanish mother and Venezuelan-German father and is a national of Spain and Venezuela.

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American Airlines: New cabin, larger overhead luggage bins

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American Airlines is starting scheduled flights with the first of its 100 new Airbus A321neo aircraft on order. These aircraft come equipped with an all-new cabin interior designed for enhanced passenger comfort and convenience, including larger Airspace XL overhead luggage bins that increase carry-on bag capacity.

American is the launch customer for the Airspace XL bins, which provide approximately 40 percent more overhead storage space for passengers on board the 196-seat aircraft. In addition to equipping its new A321neos with the XL bins, American also plans to retrofit its entire in-service fleet of earlier A321 models – more than 200 aircraft – with the cabin features included on the new A321neos.

Ingo Wuggetzer, Airbus’ Vice President of Cabin Marketing said: “We are very pleased that American Airlines’ first A321neos with the Airspace XL bins are now entering service. We constantly work with airline customers to improve our aircraft cabins, and American in particular played an instrumental role with us in developing our biggest and best overhead bins to date.”

The Airspace XL bins accommodate larger luggage – up 24” x 16” x 10” – allowing standard roll-on bags to be loaded on their sides instead of being inserted flat. This creates room for up to four bags in each bin instead of the current three. The larger bins will significantly reduce the number of passenger bags checked at the gate, and sent to the cargo hold.

American‘s selected cabin layout allows the airline greater flexibility in seating arrangements and use of cabin space. The two class cabin will gain an additional row of first-class seats, bringing the total to 20. Outfitting the A321neo with a free wireless inflight-entertainment (IFE) system allows passengers to select a wide-range of options from their own devices. LED mood lighting will enhance the cabin environment.

Powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines and ETOPS certified for lengthy over water flights, the A321neo will allow American to carry larger loads on its longer, more densely travelled routes such as Los Angeles and Phoenix to Orlando, or West Coast hubs to Hawaii.

 

The A321neo is the largest member of the A320 Family, seating up to 240 passengers, depending on cabin configuration. Incorporating the latest engines, aerodynamic advances, and cabin innovations, the A321neo offers a reduction in fuel consumption of at least 15 percent per seat from day

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National Research Council in Canada wants to improve air passenger experience

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From visiting friends and family to getting goods to market, Canadians, tourists, and businesses rely on a safe, secure aviation system. While safety is everyone’s top priority in air travel, the air travel experience is arguably a passenger’s next biggest concern. Air travelers and crew want a safe and pleasant flight experience, and so do air carriers. By providing a positive passenger experience through well-designed, research-vetted cabin systems and products that complement human behavior, companies can ensure safer, smoother operations while earning and maintaining customer loyalty.

To understand how people interact with the controlled air travel environment, a National Research Council of Canada(NRC) multidisciplinary team is studying human responses to the cabin environment and the impact of new design concepts and emerging technologies on air travelers and crew.

The NRC is in the third year of a five-year research collaboration with the Research & Technology team at Airbus Americas Engineering to improve the air passenger experience by studying and demonstrating the human impact of technology innovations. The research team is using the new NRC Centre for Air Travel Research and real people in simulated tests to evaluate and analyze innovative disruptive concepts, cabin air quality and environmental control systems, passenger comfort, and issues associated with boarding and exiting aircraft.

After carefully analyzing the data gathered during these comprehensive tests, researchers will be able to identify low-cost, high-return changes that can be applied early in the aircraft design process to the benefit of Airbus and its industry customers, affording them the opportunity to make evidence-based decisions that balance the safety and comfort of air passengers and crew with manufacturing and operational costs for next generation aircraft.

This research collaboration is due in part to Airbus’ Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) obligation associated with Canada’s Fixed Wing Search and Rescue Aircraft Replacement (FWSAR) program. Canada’s ITB Policy ensures that prime contractors provide business activities in Canada equal to the contract value. The FWSAR program is supporting approximately 2.5 billion CAD in ITB activities within the Canadian economy.

  • The multi-disciplinary team in the National Research Council of Canada’s Centre for Air Travel Research includes a variety of expertise— specialists in physiology, psychology, industrial design, engineering, instrumentation, fabrication, and project management— that allows the team to fully explore the impact of new aircraft design concepts and emerging technologies on air travelers and crew.
  • The Centre for Air Travel Research has five laboratories and can facilitate the study of security screening systems, airport navigation tools, virtual reality devices to address flight anxiety, and the specific needs of communities such as seniors or persons with disabilities.
  • In addition to offering a realistic re-creation of an airport terminal, the Centre for Air Travel Research also boasts the Flexible Cabin Laboratory, complete with an A320 aircraft cabin that allows for the study of passenger flight experience, human vibration, and more.

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Princess Cruises And Fincantieri Sign Contracts For Two Next-Generation Cruise Ships

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Princess Cruises and Fincantieri announced today the signing of the final contracts for the construction of two next-generation 175,000-ton cruise ships, which will be the largest ships ever built so far in Italy, with deliveries scheduled in Monfalcone in late 2023 and in spring 2025. This announcement follows the initial signing of a memorandum of agreement between the two parties in July 2018.

The vessels will each accommodate approximately 4,300 guests and will be based on a next-generation platform design, being the first Princess Cruises ships to be dual-fuel powered primarily by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). LNG is the marine industry’s most environmentally friendly advanced fuel technology and the world’s cleanest fossil fuel, which will significantly reduce air emissions and marine gasoil usage.

“Princess Cruises continues to grow globally — adding new ships to our fleet built by our long-time trusted ship building partner, Fincantieri, who brings decades of expertise to these next-generation cruise ships,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises President. “Even more exciting is that these two ships are being designed to include our MedallionClass platform, powered by OceanMedallion, the most advanced wearable device available within the global hospitality industry.”

Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, commented on the announcement: “This result proves, once again, the trust we receive from the market, which allows us to look to the future with ambition. It honors our great work focused on innovation thanks to which we have been able to offer to the client a record-breaking proposal not only in terms of size. Besides we firmly believe that a new class of Princess Cruises’ ships, one of Carnival Group’s top brands, can stem from this promising project. In fact, for Princess Cruises, we have received orders for 21 ships, another unprecedented result in this industry.”

Considered a breakthrough in the vacation industry and recently honored with a CES® 2019 Innovation Award, the OceanMedallion is leading-edge technology that delivers personalized service on a large scale through enhanced guest-crew interaction, as well as enabling interactive entertainment. Guests are currently experiencing Princess MedallionClass vacations onboard Caribbean Princess and Regal Princess. By the end of the year, MedallionClass vacations will be activated on three additional ships, Royal Princess, Crown Princess and Sky Princess.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and United Nations reported that growth in the number of people cruising between 2004 and 2014 outpaced land-based vacations by over 20 percent, and CLIA projects 30 million people will take an ocean cruise in 2019, an all-time record. These stats signal a bright future for the cruise industry, as well as for professional travel advisor partners enthusiastic for more inventory to meet the growing demands for cruising.

With five ships being built over the next six years, Princess Cruises is the fastest growing premium cruise line in the world.

One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is the fastest growing international premium cruise line and tour company operating a fleet of 17 modern cruise ships, carrying two million guests each year to 380 destinations around the globe, including the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Europe, South America, Australia/New Zealand, the South Pacific, Hawaii, Asia, Canada/New England, Antarctica and World Cruises. A team of professional destination experts have curated 170 itineraries, ranging in length from three to 111 days and Princess Cruises is continuously recognized as “Best Cruise Line for Itineraries.”
In 2017 Princess Cruises, with parent company Carnival Corporation, introduced MedallionClass Vacations enabled by the OceanMedallion, the vacation industry’s most advanced wearable device, provided free to each guest sailing on a MedallionClass ship. The award-winning innovation offers the fastest way to a hassle-free, personalized vacation giving guests more time to do the things they love most. MedallionClass Vacations will be activated on five ships by the end of 2019. An activation plan will continue across the global fleet in 2020 and beyond.
Princess Cruises continues its multi-year, “Come Back New Promise” – a $450 million-dollar product innovation and cruise ship renovation campaign that will continue to enhance the line’s onboard guest experience. These enhancements result in more moments of awe, lifetime memories and meaningful stories for guests to share from their cruise vacation. The product innovations include partnerships with award-winning Chef Curtis Stone; engaging entertainment inspired shows with Broadway-legend Stephen Schwartz; immersive activities for the whole family from Discovery and Animal Planet that include exclusive shore excursions to onboard activities; the ultimate sleep at sea with the award-winning Princess Luxury Bed and more.
Three new Royal-class ships are currently on order with the next new ship under construction, Sky Princess, scheduled for delivery in October 2019, followed by Enchanted Princess in June 2020. Princess has announced two new (LNG) ships which will be the largest ships in the Princess fleet, accommodating approximately 4,300 guests are planned for delivery in 2023 and 2025.  Princess now has five ships arriving over the next six years between 2019 and 2025. The company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE:CUK).

Fincantieri is one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups and number one for diversification and innovation. It is leader in cruise ship design and construction and a reference player in all high-tech shipbuilding industry sectors, from naval to offshore vessels, from high-complexity special vessels and ferries to mega yachts, as well as in ship repairs and conversions, production of systems and mechanical and electrical component equipment and after-sales services.
With over 230 years of history and more than 7,000 vessels built, Fincantieri has always kept its management offices, as well as all the engineering and production skills, in Italy. With over 8,600 employees in Italy and a supplier network that employs nearly 50,000 people, Fincantieri has enhanced a fragmented production capacity over several shipyards into a strength, acquiring the widest portfolio of clients and products in the cruise segment. To hold its own in relation to competition and assert itself at global level, Fincantieri has broadened its product portfolio becoming world leader in the sectors in which it operates.
With globalization, the Group has around 20 shipyards in 4 continents, over 19,000 employees and is the leading Western shipbuilder. It has among its clients the world’s major cruise operators, the Italian and the US Navy, in addition to several foreign navies, and it is partner of some of the main European defense companies within supranational programs.
Fincantieri’s business is widely diversified by end markets, geographical exposure and by client base, with revenue mainly generated from cruise ship, naval and offshore vessel construction. Compared with less diversified players, such diversification allows it to mitigate the effects of any fluctuations in demand on the end markets served.
www.fincantieri.com

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Reunion Island NRL viaduct: Now that’s a road trip!

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“The new NRL 974 – the Didier Robert Highway as it is referred to across the island – is a secure road far from the danger of falling stones … nearly 1500 jobs … innovations … ingenuity … perseverance and respect to preserve the environment of the island,” says remarks from social media about this massive Reunion Island project.

The work of the “Nouvelle Route du Littoral” (the new coastal road) is nearing its end on the north side. Motorists traveling along the coastal road watch every day the progress of the work of laying the big posts in the sea.

This Friday marks the last hours of mobilization of the huge machine “Zourite,” used for two years for the installation of the big posts at the bottom of the sea and the first parts of deck assembled in stages. Since the start of work at sea, the machine has reached the construction work at the rate of two of these big posts per month. The total height of these posts varies from 24 to 38 meters on the entire route at sea. The bases of the posts are between 12 and 15 meters below sea level, or between 3 and 8 m below the ocean floor.

48 posts in total

The route stretch of the deck, whose weight of the elements can go up to 670 tons and are conveyed by the “launcher” to be assembled. As for the route on supports, they are much heavier, they weigh up to 2400 tons and are routed and set up on site by Zourite. The height of the segments to be transported varies from 3.80 to 7.30 meters.

Zourite thus completes in this month of March 2019 the installation of the very last of the posts of the viaduct which includes 48 between the Large boat and the advancement at sea in Saint-Denis.

A progress report is made at this very moment on site by a delegation of the regional authority. Taking stock of the progress of the work, the President of the Region was also asked about the prospects for the other achievements that will follow the work of the NRL, starting with the guided regional transport network. “The first phase of 12 km will involve Saint-Denis and Sainte-Marie, plus 2 phases: a first towards Saint-Benoît, and the second towards the west since you know that the New Coastal Road provides for to be able to host a regional guided transport network,” said Didier Robert.

NEO after the NRL

As for the total delivery of the NRL, the president of the Region spoke about the schedule adopted to date. “We are on a 2022 perspective for the overall delivery of the project,” he said, also answering the question of the possibility of a partial delivery. “It’s part of the elements of reflection but it does not integrate today the approach of our community because it is a global work of 12 km, so the goal is to deliver this project on its entirety.”

The subject of NEO Saint-Denis was also mentioned. “For the past two or three years, we have been choosing to co-manage with the City of Saint-Denis for the Nouvelle Entrée Ouest, and we are working together to ensure that there is extension and that Saint-Denis can benefit from the regional commitment with a level of traffic that is more acceptable. It will be finalized in a first time the new bridge of the Saint-Denis River in 2020-2021, so at the same time as the finalization of the viaduct “which prefigures the” new face of Barachois “in a second time,” said the president of Reunion.

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