The STX France shipyard in St Nazaire has selected ArcelorMittal as the sole steel supplier for the hull and 20 bridges in the world’s biggest cruise ship. The steel and mining company has signed a contract to supply more than 40,000t of plates and coils from its European sites.
The plates are being produced by ArcelorMittal Gijon in Spain and shipped to St Nazaire. Coils produced at Fos-sur-Mer will be processed into sheets by ArcelorMittal’s St Nazaire Distribution Solutions unit, which will then deliver them to STX France. Deliveries are scheduled to start in September 2013, when construction of the hull will begin.
“This contract demonstrates our ability to deliver high-quality steels and tailored services from our European industrial and sales units, and confirms our long-term presence as a steel supplier to the cruise ship market, one that has seen consistent growth over the last five years,” said Hervé Bourrier, CEO, ArcelorMittal France.
The ship, which will have around 2,700 cabins, is scheduled for delivery to the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) in 2016. The vessel is one of RCCL’s ‘Oasis-class’ cruise liners, the world’s largest and longest passenger ships. Passengers can enjoy themed areas, with a ‘Central Park’ and ‘Boardwalk’—two outdoor areas—running down the middle of the ship.