Work is continuing at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera (Province of Venice) on the construction of the Costa Deliziosa, the 15th member of the fleet belonging to the Italian Company Costa Cruises, the number one cruise line in Italy and across Europe, which is due to enter service in January 2010.

In the last few days, procedures have been carried out for the installation of the diesel engine generator sets, the engines that produce the power needed for propulsion and shipboard hotel services. The operation involved is very complex and spectacular: there are six engines installed in all, four 162,000 kg, 12-cylinder 12,000 kW generators plus two 117,000 kg, 8-cylinder, 8000 kW engines. Together, they can provide power of around 64 Mw, equivalent to the electricity consumption of a town of over 40,000 inhabitants.

The Costa Deliziosa, which is the sister ship of the Costa Luminosa will be a 92,700 gross tonnage ship with total Guest capacity of 2828. Fincantieri is currently building three new Costa ships in its yards. In addition to the Costa Deliziosa, the Italian ship builder is presently completing the Costa Luminosa and Costa Pacifica (total Guest capacity of 3780 and 114,500 gross tonnage), respectively the 13th and 14th members of the fleet, which are being fitted out in Marghera and Genova-Sestri P. and will be delivered at the end of April and the end of May 2009.

Costa’s fleet expansion program includes the introduction of 5 new ships by 2012, all built in Italy by Fincantieri for a total investment worth 2.4 billion euros. In addition to the Costa Pacifica, Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa, two sister ships of the Costa Pacifica will enter service in spring 2011 and 2012. The Costa Cruises fleet will then be 17-strong and able to carry some 46,400 Guests, an increase of 50% on present capacity, confirming its status as Europe’s biggest cruise fleet.