A 14-storey high-cruise Italian ship has arrived at Karachi’s Gadani Shipyard with no plans to return.
However, this ship would not be broken into pieces unlike other ships that arrived at this ship breaking yard in the past.
Celestyal Experience, formerly known as Costa Romantica, is a 1990s vintage ship built for Costa Cruises.
The 56,800 gross-ton cruise ship, launched in 1992, was built by an Italian shipbuilder. A Pakistani company, New Choice Enterprises, bought it for breaking but found it in a “good condition” later and decided to convert it into a hotel or cruise.
According to a report, the cruise ship underwent a significant modernisation and overhaul in 2011 as part of a life extension programme. The 14-storey ship has the following features: 1,411 rooms, a seven-star hotel, a shopping mall, a gaming zone, a swimming pool and three ballrooms.
The company says it had sought permission to anchor the cruise ship near Karachi Port Grand but the request was denied due to its massive size. The ship has now been anchored at Gadani Ship Breaking Yard.
