Page 26: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (March 2, 2005)

Production value, which stood at €€ 1,097 million, is in line with the first six months of 2003, as is the gross operating margin, up from 8.9% to 9.1%. The operating result, at €€ 74.6 million, con- firms a growth trend over the same peri- od in 2003, when it amounted to €€ 65.6 million (+13.7%).

Moreover, there has been a substantial improvement in the net financial posi- tion "During the year, we acquired 14 new orders, most of them targeted to the export market, seven cruise ships, six ferries and a patrol vessel, worth a total of more than 3.5 billion euros. Within the framework of cooperative efforts with Carnival Corporation & plc, we are currently working to develop the "Pinnacle" project," said Bono recently.

Highlights which round out the Italian shipbuilder's year include: Launching of the Italian Navy's submarine Scirè. The program was developed with the German Submarine

Consortium and foresees the construc- tion of four U212A class vessels for

Germany and two for Italy. The first, the

Salvatore Todaro, was launched in

November 2003. The two Italian sub- marines, which will be delivered in mid- 2005 and mid-2006, measure 183 ft. (56 m) with a height of 39.3 ft. (12 m) and a diameter of 23 ft. (7 m). The have a stan- dard displacement of 1,450 tons and a capacity for a crew of 27.

Thanks to Air Independent Propulsion (AIP), fed by fuel cells, the submarines have a high degree of autonomy, more- over the level of acoustic and magnetic signatures is extremely low and the combat system is fully integrated. Finnlines has ordered an additional two RoPax ferries by taking up a con- tract option. This brings the total num- ber of ships ordered to five for an over- all value of 500 million Euro.

The first vessel will be delivered at the end of 2005, the second and the third in mid 2006, the fourth in autumn 2006 and the fifth in early 2007. The 42,000- gt ships have a capacity for 500 passen- gers and 300 trucks in 4,200 linear meters The ships will be equipped with four Wartsila 9L46D engines, capable of providing a total power of 48,000 kW and a service speed of 25 knots. Fincantieri and Benetti announced a new partnership agreement at the Ft.

Lauderdale Boat Show.

Fincantieri and Benetti will build and market megayachts over 70m under the

Fincantieri brand and that Benetti will build and market megayachts up to 230 ft. (70 m) under the Benetti brand.

Fincantieri and Benetti have also agreed to jointly develop and build, using the latest technology combined with new and highly innovative systems, new yacht projects, which will be marketed under the Benetti-Fincantieri trademark.

It is also planned to extend this alliance to include the development and con- struction of patrol boats. Fincantieri, through its Naval

Vessel Business Unit, won an order from

Sweden's Rederi A.B. Gotland to build a high speed ferry in accordance with

IMO code HSC2000. The ship will be built at Riva Trigoso (Genoa) shipyard and is due for delivery in early 2006.

The ferry will be 400 ft. (122 m) long, 54.8 ft. (16.7 m) wide, and will be equipped with two bow thrusters, four diesel engines of 9,000 kW each and four steering-reversing waterjets. It will be able to reach a maximum speed of approximately 40 knots and will have an operating speed of 36 knots. Her maxi- mum deadweight will be approximately 600 tons, with a capacity of 800 passen- gers in addition to over 160 cars and 8 buses.

Circle 61 on Reader Service Card 26 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News

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