Nieuw Statendam Launched

Holland America Line's latest Pinnacle-class ship, Nieuw Statendam, was launched on December 6 at Fincantieri's Marghera (Venice) shipyard. The fitting-out phase will now begin, with the vessel anticipated to be delivered in autumn 2018.
  
The new 99,500-ton vessel is the 16th ship built by Fincantieri for Holland America Line and the second Pinnacle class ship after Koningsdam was delivered in 2016 from the same shipyard. She will be almost 300 meters (984 feet) long, with accommodation for up to 2,660 passengers in more than 1,300 cabins. As for Koningsdam, the design will be created by Adam D. Tihany and Bjorn Storbraaten, with “the architecture of music” being an inspirational element for the design of many public areas.

Madrina of the ceremony was Anne Marie Bartels, a member of Holland America Line’s elite President’s Club loyalty program, who first sailed across the Atlantic from Rotterdam to New York as a young woman. Bartels first sailed on the s.s. Nieuw Amsterdam from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, to New York when she was 21 years old. She has since been on 79 Holland America Line cruises, including 12 Grand Voyages. Bartels has more than 2,500 cruising days with the line.

A traditional coin ceremony was conducted with the welding of a Dutch guilder from 1898 on the last deck of the ship. "The coin ceremony is one of the most time-honored traditions in the building of a ship, and having Anne Marie, one of our most valued guests, serve as Madrina makes the celebration all the more special," said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. "Nieuw Statendam reflects the next generation in our brand evolution while maintaining the classic hallmarks we are known for. By placing an authentic Dutch guilder in the hull from the year our first ship named Statendam came into service is a meaningful way to build that bridge from our past to our future."

Holland America Line's first ship to be called Statendam sailed in 1898, and this will be the sixth ship in the company's history to carry the name. 

A third Pinnacle Class ship is expected to be delivered in 2021.

Fincantieri has built 80 cruise ships from 1990 to today (57 from 2002), while other 34 are currently being designed or built in the Group’s yards.