Thomson and Island Cruises award Columbia Ship Management five year contract

CSM has worked with Thomson Cruises and latterly Island Cruises for over ten years and won the five-year contract after a tender process involving several of the industry’s leading ship management companies, states Thomson Cruises, part of TUI UK & Ireland.

The new contract will be structured in a very different and innovative way, bringing ship owners and managers closer together in a more collaborative partnership.

The key innovations include a structure of joint governance committees that enable collective decisions to be taken on all aspects of the operations and financial processes, with full transparency between the two parties.  This process allows the top level of management of both organisations to be closely involved with the operation.

In a move fully supported by CSM, Thomson Cruises will become more engaged in directing operations on-board by employing its captains and chief engineers directly, rather than through the ship management company as is conventionally the case. 

An independent safety consultant from the wider industry will be appointed, to challenge operations and advise on best practice.

To support this there will also be a very detailed service level agreement, specifying how Thomson Cruises and CSM will operate to standards of excellence.

Helen Caron, managing director of Thomson Cruises & Island Cruises said; ‘I am delighted to announce our new partnership with Columbia Ship Management.  Over the last 18 months our teams have worked together, to develop an innovative governance structure that brings ship owners and managers closer together in a more collaborative partnership.’

The new contract does not affect the operation of Thomson Majesty and Thomson Spirit both chartered from Louis Cruises, however some of the same innovations will be rolled out on these ships as well.