March 21, 2017 – The keel laying ceremony for “Nieuw Statendam”, the new cruise ship which Fincantieri is building for the shipowner Holland America Line, a brand under Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise operator, took place yesterday at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera (Venice). The first building block of the ship, 11.3 meters long, 34.8 wide and weighing about 260 tons, is part of the central section of “Nieuw Statendam”, due to delivery at the end of 2018. The new unit, sister ship of “Koningsdam”, the new “Pinnacle” class ship delivered in March 2016 from the same shipyard, will be about 99,800 gross tons, almost 300 meters long, with accommodation for up to 2,650 passengers on board in more than 1,300 cabins. She will be characterized by a modern and contemporary style which blends perfectly with the traditional elegance, which distinguishes all the ships in the fleet. The design will be created, as for “Koningsdam”, by two of the world’s major and prestigious architecture studios, Tihany Design and Yran & Storbraaten, with “the architecture of music” being an inspirational element for the design of many public areas. The ship’s technology is aimed at optimizing energy efficiency and minimizing environmental impact and it responds to the most demanding and current safety regulations.