Daily Archives: March 18, 2021

Vistas Grand Dining Room illustrates the fresh, alluring architectural style that defines the ship

Oceania Cruises is to christen the first of its two new Allura-class ships Vista when she debuts in 2023.

Currently under construction at Fincantieris Sestri Ponente shipyard in Italy, the 67,000gt Vista will accommodate 1,200 guests and 800 crew members and will be the seventh vessel to join the Oceania Cruises fleet.

According to Oceania Cruises, Vistas name reflects the dawn of a new age in travel and the unique vision of the companys officers and crew members who played a pivotal role in designing the vessel.

Our officers and crew are always bringing great new ideas to the forefront and then implementing them, said Bob Binder, president and CEO of Oceania Cruises. More than any other part of the Oceania Cruises organisation, we owe our success to our onboard teams. They are the ones who made Vista possible, and it is a credit to them, these true visionaries of the seven seas, that we name the ship for them, in their honour.

Onboard highlights will include spacious residentially-inspired suites and staterooms, as well as luxurious public spaces such as The Grand Dining Room, which will be almost two decks high and offer a contemporary interpretation of La Belle poque (early 20th-century Parisian society). In addition, the vessel will offer nine other culinary experiences, including several unique firsts for the brand.

Oceania Cruises is an innovative and ever-evolving brand, said Binder. We are always looking over the horizon, and Vista represents our view to the future.

The second Allura-class vessel will debut in 2025.

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Oceania Cruises to name new ship Vista when she debuts in 2023 - Cruise and Ferry

The service departs from Gothenburg every other week and calls at the following ports: Durban, Port Elizabeth (South Africa), Maputo (Mozambique), Port Louis (Mauritius) Tamatave (Madagascar), Fremantle, Port Kembla, Brisbane, Melbourne (Australia) and Auckland (New Zealand).

Shipments from Gothenburg are expected to include cars, heavy vehicles, construction equipment and large project loads. Hegh operates some of the worlds largest pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs), with capacity for 8,500 car equivalent units.

From Auckland, the vessels will return to Gothenburg, taking in ports throughout East Asia, including those in Japan, Korea and China (see box).

East Asia to Japan loading ports

Incheon, Masan (South Korea), Hitachinaka, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Omaezaki, Yokkaichi, Nagoya, Kobe, Hiroshima, Kanda (Japan), Shanghai*, Tiajin Xingang*, Lianyuangang (China), Singapore and Leam Chabang (Thailand).

*By feeder vessel

Gothenburg Port Authority said the new service would provide opportunities for import customers in Sweden to bring in goods for the domestic market and wider Scandinavia, as well as linking up other global markets on route.

We are working closely with our customers to offer them sustainable transport options and we are pleased to be starting up a service in Gothenburg that will meet freight flow requirements to and from Sweden for the automotive and the high-and-heavy sectors, said Oskar Orstadius, chief sales officer at Hegh Autoliners.

Hegh vessels will call at the Port of Gothenburg vehicle and ro-ro terminal and the freight will be handled by the terminal operator Logent Ports and Terminals.

This direct service is a vital addition for industry, and it will certainly open up new opportunities, said Claes Sundmark, vice-president of sales and marketing at Gothenburg Port Authority. Oceania and South Africa are key markets for the automotive industry, as well as the Swedish engineering and construction sectors. This service will give the port of Gothenburg an extra edge in its industry offering.

Read more about developments at Europes finished vehicle handling ports in the forthcoming ALFVL Spring edition, which will be published at the beginning of April.

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Hegh begins service between Gothenburg port and Oceania - Automotive Logistics

Oceania Cruises has revealed the new Vista ship which will be the seventh vessel for its fleet. The 1,200-guest ship will the first of Oceanias Allura Class and will set sail in 2023 followed by a sister ship in 2025.

Vista will feature nine in-class culinary experiences, luxurious signature public spaces, and spacious suites and staterooms. Details will be revealed from in May 2021, with her inaugural voyagesopening for sale in September 2021.

In true Oceania style, Vista will have the lines trademark cuisine at sea, personalised service with two staff members for every three guests as well as unique firsts of dining at sea, yet to be revealed.

Oceania Cruises is an innovative and ever-evolving brand. We are always looking over the horizon, andVistarepresents our view to the future, stated Bob Binder, President & CEO of Oceania Cruises.

Some of the interiors include glamorous public spaces such as TheGrand Dining Room, which soars almost two decks in height and pays homage to the beautiful age of early 20th-century Parisian society through its contemporary interpretation of Belle poque.

Our officers and crew are always bringing great new ideas to the forefront and then implementing them. More than any other part of the Oceania Cruises organization, we owe our success to our onboard teams. They are the ones who madeVistapossible, and it is a credit to them, these true visionaries of the seven seas, that we name the ship for them, in their honour, added Binder.

Currently under construction by Fincantieri S.p.A. in Italy,Vistawill sail her first commercial voyage in early 2023. An unnamed sister ship will debut in 2025.

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Oceania reveals its newest ship, coming in 2023 - Cruise Passenger

The first of eight Teamfight Tactics Regional Finals has just wrapped up with the Oceanic region crowning its champion. After four days of competition, with a field of the 32 best players across the region, the event reached a climax on Sunday. The final eight players fought for the lions share of a $6,500 AUD prize pool and the title of the best player in the region.

Although he did not dominate the tournament from start to finish, Razza showed that consistency is everything in TFT. After fighting off the entire 32 player field, Razza won the title of the best TFT player in Ocenia. But more importantly, he earned a trip to Worlds.

Razza played 24 games over four days of competition. At the end of each day, the eight players with the least amount of points were eliminated. He did not play exceptionally well in the first three days, but did enough to avoid the cut each time. He relied heavily on his Keeper play as well as his Vanguard Mystic Neeko. However, Razza decided to play his best TFT of the season when it mattered the most.

After a poor start in game one of the finals, Razza faced an uphill battle as his main threat, Team Solo Mids Jang Keane Lae-young, started the finals with a game one victory. Keane was the favorite heading into the final day as he carried momentum from day three where he finished first overall. The TSM sponsored player finished sixth, but the placement was still good enough to qualify for the finals. Starting with game two, Razza started to close that gap.

Piloting a Dragonsoul Shyvana build, Razza placed third in game two while Keane broke out of Fortune prison a little too early and finished seventh. Game three is when Razza turned it up a notch. Keane bounced back with a third place finish of his own in the game, but Razza playing Dragonsoul Slayers grabbed his first win of the night. With the finals at the halfway point, Razza and Keane were dead even in the standings.

With the Oceania Region only receiving one spot at the world championships this season, the last three games were intense. Games two and three saw Razza play outside of his comfort zone. But with the championship on the line, he decided to go back to his tried and true strategy in game four. On the backs of a three star Neeko and Nautilus, Razza racked up his second win in a row. The win put him alone at the top of the standings for the first time all weekend.

Game five saw Razza play his other comfort pick in the form of Keepers. With Razza just needing to play safe to keep his lead, he piloted Keepers to a third place finish. Because of a brutal sixth place placement by Keane in game five, the gap widened between first and second. By the final game of the event, Razza had a 50 point lead over the next closest player. All Razza had to do was capture a top four finish in game six to clinch the Oceania championship.

The tournament was all but over as soon as Razza hit a three star Nunu in the sixth game. Although a Nunu Brawler composition wouldnt win the lobby, it was good enough for a top four placement. After Gages bowed out in the fifth round and with Razza still alive, the Exist Oceania content creator clinched the championship. Not even Keane winning the final game of the day would allow him to catch up. At the end of the event, Razza finished in first place with Keane in second.

Razza is no stranger to playing against international competition. He was one of the four Ocenia players who qualified for last seasons OCE/NA Finals. Although he didnt do to well in that event, Razza will get another opportunity to prove himself on the big stage on April seventh as he will be competing against 23 of the best players in the world for a prize pool of $250,000 and the title of TFT Fates world champion.

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Razza wins the TFT Fates Oceania Finals - Daily Esports

Australian company Oceania Cruises just saw its strongest booking day in the companys history, signaling high demanddespite the current global cruising pause.

On March 3, Oceania opened bookings for 2022 to 2023 Tropics and Exotics Collection winter sailings. Shortly after, the cruise line received a flood of interest, resulting in an all-time record bookings day since the cruise line first started 18 years ago.

This wildly popular 127-itinerary sailing collection spans several continents including Africa, Antarctica, and South Pacific between seven to 77 days. The highest selling trip was a 35-day cruise around Australia during Christmas and New Years. But in general, cruises to Asia, Africa, South America, the Caribbean, and combined Australia and New Zealand saw especially strong bookings, according to the cruise line.

The tremendous wave of bookings we saw on the day we opened our new 2022 and 2023 itineraries for sale underscores theextraordinary demand for long and exotic cruise vacations, Bob Binder, Oceania Cruises president and CEO, said in apress release. Upscale travelers are eager to explore the world once more and are booking farther in advance to ensure their travel dreams are fulfilled.

This isnt the first time Oceania has seen massive success with its cruises this year. On January 27, the cruise line opened bookings for its2023 180-day global sailing starting at $41,600. The trip then sold out within a day.

Looking ahead, in September, the cruise line plans to open bookings for its 2023 cruises in Europe and North America in order to satisfy demand from consumers and travel advisors who are booking farther in advance.

Pent-up demand for travel has been felt across adjacent industries likecruisingandhotels. Now, figures likeBrian Chesky, Airbnbs CEO, are predictingan upcoming travel rebound as vaccine rollout continues and countries begin accepting new visitors. As a result, this high demand for future cruises could signal a strong return for cruise lines after over ayear of empty ships and no-sail orders.

Source: Business Insider

The Yucatan TimesNewsroom

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Oceania Cruises sets bookings record for its global collection of 2022 to 2023 winter sailings - The Yucatan Times

A Chinese flag attached to the back of a boat flaps in the wind as cargo containers sit on the dock of Shenzhen Port in Shenzhen, China.

Daniel Berehulak | Getty Images News | Getty Images

China is diversifying its supply of critical natural resources a move that will shore up Beijing's ability to weaponize trade against its geopolitical rivals, according to a newly published report by risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft.

"If China has a soft underbelly, it is its high dependency on foreign natural resources," read the report released on Thursday.

China is a large consumer of major commodities including crude oil and iron ore. But the country relies heavily on imports to meet its domestic demand for those commodities.

One way the country is diversifying its import sources is by buying stakes in overseas companies, said Verisk Maplecroft. Doing that will increase the proportion of Chinese-owned resources in the country's total imports, the report said.

As an example, the consultancy said the number of Chinese-owned base metals and gold companies in Oceania rose from zero in the year 2000 to 59 last year. It represented around 22.6% of total foreign ownership in such companies, the report showed.

Oceania is a region that includes Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Fiji and numerous island nations.

"China is seeking to strengthen its control over global supply chains via overseas investments and partnerships with international majors. Beijing has been supporting Chinese SOEs [state-owned enterprises] to 'go global' and establish control of resource bases overseas since the late 1990s," said the report.

China imports critical commodities such as crude oil, natural gas, metallurgical coal and iron ore from a "highly concentrated" group of trading partners, said Verisk Maplecroft.

In diversifying its import sources, China prefers suppliers from "stable autocratic regimes" to democracies that may involve frequent changes in governments or potential shifts in policy, it added.

By securing diversified sources, China will be in a better position to weaponise trade with geopolitical rivals, while at the same time increasing the economic dependence of new and existing partners.

"Our data shows China is pivoting towards more autocratic regimes that represent greater stability for its supply lines than democracies that are, or may become, hostile to Beijing. But it is also using its massive market as a source of diplomatic leverage," the consultancy said.

"By securing diversified sources, China will be in a better position to weaponise trade with geopolitical rivals, while at the same time increasing the economic dependence of new and existing partners," it said.

But democratic countries dominate the production of some resources one of them is iron ore.

China's largest supplier of iron ore last year was Australia, an American ally that was recently hit by Beijing's trade restrictions.

Australia shipped a monthly average of 60.86 million tonnes of iron ore to China in 2020, accounting for more than 60% of overall Chinese imports of the commodity, Refinitiv data showed.

That's why China has been strengthening trade ties with other iron ore producers such as Brazil and Guinea, according to the Verisk Maplecroft report.

"Despite a tougher line on Beijing under President Bolsonaro, Brazil remains a priority in China's diversification strategy, while Guinea is politically well disposed to Beijing amid democratic backslide," the report said.

Companies and investors are in the direct sights of Beijing's diplomatic moves and will need to prepare accordingly.

Such geopolitical tensions could persist as China speeds up its effort to reduce its reliance on "unfriendly" resource suppliers, said Verisk Maplecroft.

"Banning imports of coal from Australia was a prime example but more are likely to follow, with significant impacts on the trade in global commodities and the geopolitical landscape likely," it said.

"Companies and investors are in the direct sights of Beijing's diplomatic moves and will need to prepare accordingly."

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China is building up its ability to weaponize trade, new report says - CNBC

Kenya Lionesses will benefit from newly introduced annual World Rugby womens 15's competition model and international playing windows that will supercharge the womens game.

Lionesses, who are chasing a maiden appearance at next year's World Cup in New Zealand, will fancy their chances of qualifying for the inaugural event slated for 2023.

Supported by an initial Sh896 million World Rugby investment, the three WXV competitions will feature 16 teams and will be hosted within a new September-October global competition window, except in a Rugby World Cup year.

Teams will qualify annually into the WXV competitions courtesy of their finishing positions within the respective existing annual regional competitions, such as the Womens Six Nations. These regional competitions, played within a new regional window, must be completed by June each year.

To support the implementation of the WXV competitions, a new annual cross-region competition, will be established to act as one of the principle qualification routes for the top tier .

This will feature Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. This represents a huge step forward, providing a regular annual international competition, which never used to exist, for these teams.

The first model of WXV will consist of six teams and will be played in a cross-pool format at a standalone tournament in a location, which will be determined on an year-by-year basis.

Participating teams will include the top three teams from the Womens Six Nations (Europe) and the top three teams of the cross-regional tournament featuring Australia, Canada, New Zealand and USA (Oceania/Rugby Americas North (RAN)). Each team will play three matches. There will be no promotion or relegation in the first cycle of WXV 1.

The second model will equally consist of six teams and will be played in a cross-pool format, as a standalone tournament in one location on an year-by-year basis.

Participating teams for 2023 will include two teams from Europe, the fourth-placed team from the cross-regional tournament featuring Australia, Canada, New Zealand and USA (Oceania/RAN) alongside one team from Oceania, Asia and Africa.

Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) director in charge of women's rugby, Moses Ndale welcomed the new tournament observing that it represents a good opportunity for Kenyans to test themselves against the top women playing nations in the world.

"It's a good opportunity for us to feature in a big event and play the top women teams outside the World Cup, he added.

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Lionesses set to grace new World Rugby event in 2023 - The Star, Kenya