By
Alex Smith |
Explora Journeys has celebrated two construction milestones at shipbuilder Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard in Italy, as Explora II was floated out and the first steel was cut for Explora III.
The ceremony was attended by Michael Ungerer, CEO of Explora Journeys, Pierrobero Folgiero, CEO and general manager of Fincantieri, and Marco Bucci, the mayor of Genoa.
“The double event today marks another major step forward on our mission to redefine ocean travel for today’s discerning luxury travellers,” said Ungerer. “We are now beyond thrilled to witness the next important construction milestones for both Explora II and our first LNG-powered ship Explora III. We are proud that our four ships are built by Fincantieri, further underlining our commitment to Italy.”
Explora II will enter service in summer 2024 and spend its first season operating in the Mediterranean Sea. Construction of the ship began in October 2021 at Fincantieri’s Castellammare di Stabia shipyard in Naples, Italy, where the ship’s keel was laid in May 2022.
Explora III, meanwhile, will launch in summer 2026 and be the first of Explore Journeys’ vessels to be powered by LNG.
They will eventually be joined by Explora IV, which will start construction in January 2024 and be completed by early 2027. The overall investment in the fleet of four vessels is approximately €2.3 billion ($2.47 billion).