Chantiers de l'Atlantique slows work but Celebrity Apex delivery date holds

Celebrity Apex to remain on site

The handover of Celebrity Cruises' second Edge-class ship is still expected late this week. All officers and crew are on board.

A Celebrity spokeswoman said Celebrity Apex will remain at the yard at least into early April.

Its short inaugural sailings planned for Southampton at the end of March are off, in line with coronavirus precautions and parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.'s suspension of global operations until April 11. As earlier reported, the naming ceremony is to take place later this year in Fort Lauderdale.

Trade union pressure

Under pressure from trade unions and employees asking for the Saint-Nazaire yards to close, Chantiers management took several actions. The sheet metal and assembly workshops as well as the cabin factory are closed for this week.

Staff in the design offices are allowed to work from home. For employees who can't do that, work is being organized to limit the number of people simultaneously present.

People working on the ships themselves are permitted to stay home for the next three days, while it is up to subcontractors to decide if they want their own employees to continue.