Universe Cruises, a company associated with Mano Maritime of Israel, has emerged as the buyer of Louis Group’s 41,700-gt cruiseship Majesty (built 1992), which was sold last week.
In a statement sent to cruise media this week, Mano Maritime said the 1,460-passenger Majesty could potentially be put out on charter as the company was examining several such possibilities in Japan and elsewhere in Asia.
Mano Maritime officials told TradeWinds that their company was acting as manager of the ship, which has been renamed Princess Iris.
At the beginning of the week, it moved from a lay-up berth near Piraeus to a shipyard in the Greek port of Chalkis.
Diversified company
Mano Maritime is a diversified shipping company founded by Israeli entrepreneur Moshe Mano. It entered the cruise sector in 1998 with the the 6,100-gt Silver Star (built 1964) and two years later converted two 12,000-gt ropax ferries into full cruiseships. All have since been sold and replaced with other tonnage.
Mano Cruises, the cruise division, is currently operating the 16,800-gt Golden Iris (built 1976), originally built as the Cunard Princess. The vessel trades on a seasonal basis in the eastern Mediterranean, catering almost exclusively to the Israeli market.
The company indicated there are no immediate plans to withdraw the ship from service.
Apart from its cruiseships, Mano Maritime is listed by several shipping databases as operating two capesize bulkers. The company also acts as the Israeli representative of third-party container and vehicle-carrier operators including Japan’s K Line.
While the price paid for the Majesty has not been disclosed, Louis Group said in a statement to the Cyprus Stock Exchange last week that it would realise an accounting profit of €700,000 ($817,000) from the sale.
This article has been updated to reflect Universe Cruises as the registered owner of the ship Mano Maritime's role as its manager.
