Costa Places Order for Two 3,000-passenger Liners

Costa Cruises contracted for its 16th and 17th vessels, placing a two-ship order with Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera, Italy.

Costa, a subsidiary of Carnival Corp., said the two 114,200-ton vessels would together cost $1.4 billion and add 20 percent to Costa’s capacity. They are scheduled to be delivered in 2011 and 2012.

The 3,012-passenger ships will be sister ships to the Costa Concordia, Costa Serena and Costa Pacifica. The Pacifica is under construction. Costa currently has 12 vessels on the water. Five will now be under construction or on order.

Giuseppe Bono, Fincantieri’s CEO, said that with the new Costa contract, the shipbuilder has firm orders for 10 cruise ships and options for two others, for a total value of more than $7 billion.