Latest news with #cruiseShip
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Asian Games athletes to be housed on ‘floating village' cruise ship in Japan
Athletes at next year's Asian Games in Japan will stay on a 'floating village' cruise ship or in converted shipping containers, with organisers defending the cost-cutting move. Advertisement The plan will see 4,600 athletes and officials housed on the ship for the duration of the Games, which are being held in Nagoya and the wider Aichi area from September 19 to October 4. Organisers will lease a luxury cruise liner that will be docked at Nagoya's port. A further 2,400 people will stay in temporary shelters made from shipping containers a short bus ride away, with the two locations accommodating about half of the 15,000 athletes and officials expected at the 2026 Games. The rest will be in other accommodation, including in Tokyo where the swimming competition will take place. The 2022 Asian Games opening ceremony in Hangzhou, China. Photo: AFP Local organisers were keen to avoid the cost of building a traditional athletes' village, but Asian Olympic chiefs warned any alternative must make sure athletes can meet and mingle together.
Associated Press
28-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Hawaii's governor signs new hotel tax legislation to help cope with climate change
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii's governor signed legislation Tuesday that boosts a tax imposed on hotel room and vacation rental stays in order to raise money to address eroding shorelines, wildfires and other consequences of climate change. The signing, which comes nearly two years after a Maui wildfire killed 102 people and wiped out almost all of Lahaina town, marks the nation's first such levy to help cope with a warming planet. Officials estimate the tax will generate nearly $100 million annually. The money will be used for projects like replenishing sand on eroding Waikiki beaches, promoting the use of hurricane clips to secure roofs during powerful storms and clearing flammable invasive grasses like those that fueled Lahaina's wildfire. Gov. Josh Green, speaking at a bill signing ceremony, said Hawaii needs to build more firebreaks and pay a fire marshal, a new position created after Lahaina that Green expects to be staffed within the next two months. Green said other states and nations will need to act similarly to address climate disasters roiling the planet. 'There will be no way to deal with these crises without some forward-thinking mechanism,' Green said. The measure adds an additional 0.75% to the daily room rate tax starting Jan. 1. Green said this amounts to an extra $3 tax on a $400 hotel room rate. It also levies a new 11% tax on cruise ship bills starting July 2026, prorated for the number of days the vessels are in Hawaii ports, to bring cruise ship taxes in line with room taxes on land. Travelers to Hawaii already pay a significant room tax. With the new law, the state's existing 10.25% tax on short-term accommodations will climb to 11%. Together with other state and county taxes, visitors will pay a nearly 19% levy on their accommodations — one of the highest rates in the country. Hawaii's hotels ultimately supported the bill, saying it would help improve the visitor experience. Green said the industry looked at 'the greater good' for tourism, Hawaii and the planet. Green initially proposed a bill that would put revenue from the tax increase into a dedicated fund, but lawmakers instead put the money into the state's general fund. Their compromise measure calls on the governor to request funds from the Legislature for projects in the following areas: protecting native forests, plants and animals; enhancing climate resilience; and mitigating the effects of tourism on the environment. Green said they will collaborate to implement the law. State Rep. Adrian Tam, the chairperson of the House tourism committee, said the state must earn the public's trust that it will spend the money transparently and in the best way possible. He noted Hawaii's tourism economy relies on a brand that's in part dependent on a pristine natural environment. 'The visitor industry will struggle if we do not take action now,' said Tam, a Democrat representing Waikiki. 'There will be nothing left for them to showcase to the rest of the world if our beaches are decimated, wildfires have taken over our towns and hikes left unmanaged.'
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I was sent death threats and forced to flee country after taking stand at peak of my career.. now I sing on cruise ships
CRICKET legend Henry Olonga's singing career has seen him flee his homeland after death threats and take to the stage on cruise ships. Olonga, 48, represented Zimbabwe at three World Cups and even formed a rivalry with Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar. 2 2 And during his days as one of African cricket 's poster boys in the early 2000s, he released a song titled "Our Zimbabwe". The patriotic ballad came in 2001 at a time of political violence when the nation was ruled by dictator Robert Mugabe. Two years after the release of the single, he wore a black armband at the World Cup to protest at the "death of democracy". Olonga received death threats after his gesture and was forced to flee his country. He has never been back since and has not seen his father who remains in Zimbabwe for 20 years. Olonga still sings to this day as he balances his time with cricket coaching and commentary work in Australia. He even passed the blind audition for The Voice in 2019. But his career did not take off and he recently sung on a cruise ship. Olonga told The Telegraph: "It's not necessarily the peak of music performance being on a cruise ship. "In fact, some people think that singers go to die on cruise ships. "But I don't mind that. I don't have an ego about my music. I sing in little retirement villages, I've sung to school kids, I've sung in little bars in front of three people. I just love singing. I love performing." On his brave protest, Olonga added: "I'm not just wagging a finger at people and that's what the black armband protest was about - we can be better as a country we can be better as politicians, we can be better as citizens. I got slaughtered for it."
The Sun
07-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Inside incredible plan for world's tallest cruise ship with enormous 164ft SAILS that will hit water by 2030
NEW plans for the world's tallest cruise ship have been released - and it looks like something from the future. Norwegian boat builders Hurtigruten say the vessel, complete with electrical sails and a mega battery, should hit the seas by the end of the decade. 6 6 6 6 Hurtigruten set out to make travel more sustainable - and hopes that this huge boat can tour the seas producing net-zero emissions. The ultimate goal is for the boat to be powered solely by battery. Trond Johnsen, the project manager, said: "With the reduction in energy use we're aiming for, it's realistic to fit a battery system with enough energy to allow the ship to sail between charging ports under normal weather conditions." Four battery-hybrid ships built by Hurtigruten's already sail the seas, but they all need supplementing with fuel. The new project, dubbed Sea Zero, kicked off in October 2022, and the first set of plans were seen in summer 2023. One of the coolest features is the boat's sails, which can be raised and lowered as required, and will be covered in solar panels. The kind being developed are called OceanWings - already in use on the cargo ship called Canopée. The Chief Operating Officer Gerry Larsson-Fedde said: "We have also changed the sail type to a more mature design already in use on cargo ships. "As with all development projects, there will be adjustments to both the design and specifications along the way."# The most recent plans extend the length of the ship by eight metres, to a total 143.5m. World's largest cargo ship as tall as a SKYSCRAPER launched by China Another very intriguing feature is the "lubricated" hull. Air bubbles will be pumped beneath the bottom of the boat to make it glide through the water more easily and reduce drag. This means less fuel will be require to propel the ship along. The hull will also be cleaned regularly and fitted with "advanced anti-fouling coatings" to make it slip through the waves even more smoothly. 6 6 Guests onboard will have a highly customisable experience. Living in 'smart cabins', passengers will be able to control their own heating and ventilation through an app and a screen in the cabin. Larsson-Fedde said: 'We are already testing advanced sensors in these cabins, and in the near future, we will conduct full-scale tests with guests onboard." Another ocean whopper has already been launched by China - which revealed its new monster-sized cargo ship. The 1,310-ft-long vessel is said to be capable of holding a whopping 220,000 tonnes of goods and stacking 24,000 containers. Footage shows the monstrous vessel - built in just 17 months - ripping through the ocean. And another cruise option will soon hit the market, but designed specifically for OAPs. vessel made exclusively for the elderly, with assisted living suites.
Sky News
07-05-2025
- Sky News
MSC Virtuosa cruise ship murder suspect released on bail
A man arrested on suspicion of the murder of a passenger aboard a cruise ship has been released on bail. The 57-year-old man from Exeter, Devon, was arrested after a 60-year-old man from West Sussex died on board the MSC Virtuosa cruise ship on Saturday, 3 May, following an altercation. The incident happened at around 8.30pm, two and a half hours after the ship had departed Southampton, while it was still in British waters. It is understood that the deceased had been part of a stag do on board the cruise ship. His next of kin have been informed. A spokesman for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said the suspect has since been released on bail while the investigation continues. Officers are keen to hear from anyone aboard the ship, which left Hampshire around 6pm on Saturday for a two-night journey to Bruges, Belgium. The MSC Virtuosa returned to the British port on Monday. The ship has a capacity of 6,334 guests and is operated by MSC Cruises. A MSC Cruises spokeswoman said in a statement: "Following an incident on board our ship, the relevant authorities were contacted, and we are cooperating fully with their investigations. "We are providing full support to those impacted and thoughts are with the family and friends at this difficult time."
