AmaWaterways to Launch Its First Vessel in Colombia by 2024

In 2024, AmaWaterways will launch its first vessel on Colombia’s Magdalena River, which will be “a combination” of the line’s Africa and Mekong-based vessels.

The all-suite catamaran, which would likely seat roughly 70 passengers, will launch outside of the two rainy seasons in April and May and October and November in 2024, according to Jon Burrows, AmaWaterways’ chief operating officer.

AmaWaterways had previously stated that the new ship AmaMagdalena would enter service in December 2023, but Burrows acknowledged that the project had been pushed back a few months.

He stated, “The ship design is now finished so we can now think about construction. Nobody operates on the Magdalena yet. It’s a wild river and it’s in its natural form, so there are no facilities.

“The project will require investigation and exploration.”

The ship would be the same size as AmaWaterways’ Nile-based vessel, AmaDahlia, and would be “a combination” of the line’s south-east Asian and African products, he said.

Burrows also indicated that a second vessel will be added to the Nile.

The line said its fleet capacity had expanded by 36% this year as a result of the addition of three ships during the pandemic – AmaSiena, AmaLucia, and AmaDahlia – and the return of three boats when a leasing deal expired.