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Genting Hong Kong expects to suffer more losses this year as the Covid-19 pandemic cripples big businesses like cruise and airline operators. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Genting Hong Kong warns of deeper losses, wins debt reprieve as coronavirus cripples cruise industry

  • Genting Hong Kong says firm to incur ‘significantly higher’ first-half losses than US$56 million a year ago
  • Malaysian-owned cruise operator delays debt repayment, pushes back ship delivery and seeks new funding to sustain operations pending recovery
Luxury cruise operator Genting Hong Kong expects to record “significantly higher” losses in the first six months of this year as a resurgence in Covid-19 cases in the region and elsewhere undercut hopes for a quick rebound in the industry.

Unaudited net loss in the first half to June 30 is likely to widen from the US$56.5 million recorded in the same period last year, it said in an exchange filing on Monday. Suspension of operations across its cruise businesses, including Dream Cruises, Crystal Cruises, and Star Cruises, contributed to the red sign, it added.

The group has taken steps to lower operating costs, laying up most of its ships, canned capital spending, and asked creditors for a 12-month delay in repaying US$220 million of principal debt to help survive the crisis. The group has also leased the SuperStar Gemini and SuperStar Aquarius ships to the Singapore government, which have been used to hold foreign workers who have recovered from the Covid-19 disease.

Lim Kok Thay, the Malaysian billionaire chairman and CEO of Genting Hong Kong. Photo: Bloomberg

“It is expected that the Covid-19 pandemic will continue to affect the group’s businesses, as the spread and development of the virus has created significant uncertainty over when authorities in the relevant cruising markets will allow resumption of the cruise travel,” Genting Hong Kong said in the statement.

Genting’s expanded losses came as Covid-19 crippled the capital-intensive industry since March, which along with airline operators are among the hardest hit businesses. Genting and global peers have been burning cash under no-sail orders by governments worldwide.

Carnival, the world’s largest operator whose Diamond Princess ship had more than 700 people infected with Covid-19 on-board in February, reported a record loss of US$4.4 billion in the second quarter. Norwegian Cruise Line had a US$1.9 billion loss in the first quarter.

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Hong Kong’s Genting Cruise Lines to set sail as early as August with measures to fight Covid-19

Hong Kong’s Genting Cruise Lines to set sail as early as August with measures to fight Covid-19

Sentiment among travellers is weakening as cruise ships draw unwanted publicity with cases of Covid-19 infections on-board.

At least 40 crew and passengers have tested positive on MS Roald Amundsen operated by Hurtigruten, a Norway-based cruise operator, Reuters reported on Monday. Passengers on a cruise ship operated by Finnish firm Silja Line were also diagnosed with the respiratory illness, according to other news reports on Monday.

Genting, however, is getting some breaks in Taiwan, having been allowed to sail again from July 26 as local authorities tried to revive the local tourism industry with the pandemic under control. Its ships Explorer Dream makes two- and three-night trips departing from Keelung and calling at Penghu, Matzu and Kinmen islands – dubbed “Taiwan Island-Hopping” itineraries.

Genting expects to publish its first-half report card before the end of this month, it said.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Cruise firm warns of losses as virus cripples industry
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