Somec Wins €119 Million Cruise Ship Glazing Contracts

Italy’s Somec has secured orders worth more than €119 million to supply and install glazing systems and architectural components for two cruise ships at a French shipyard. Deliveries and the associated economic benefits are expected between 2028 and 2040.

The contracts include options for additional vessels and will be handled by Horizons, the group’s division specialising in engineered naval architecture and building facades. Somec did not identify the shipyard or the cruise line that will operate the new series. The San Vendemiano, Treviso-based group generated revenue of €383 million in 2024.

Somec’s scope includes glazing and associated support structures, along with balcony components forming part of the ships’ architectural envelopes. The company said the systems must meet the programme’s safety, energy-efficiency and aesthetic requirements, including visual continuity between interior and exterior spaces.

“We operate in a sector that continues to show solid demand and long-term growth prospects,” said Oscar Marchetto, chairman of Somec. He said the orders would bring the company’s specialist industrial expertise into the new international shipbuilding programme.

The package includes Somec’s patented Automatic Vertical Sliding Window, or AVSW, system. Designed mainly for cruise-ship cabins and balcony suites, it uses a motor to move the upper glass panel vertically, allowing the opening to be adjusted and connecting indoor spaces with the outside.

The technology supports remote management and incorporates photocell protection. Technicians can also check its functionality through a dedicated Bluetooth application, while motorised curtains are available as optional equipment. Somec has not specified whether that option forms part of these orders.

Somec says the window system provides weather-tightness and acoustic insulation, and that its marine performance design addresses air permeability, water tightness and resistance to wind loads.