SEATTLE, April 3 -- Holland America Line's newest
luxury liner, the ms Statendam, was officially launched today in a
floating-out ceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone,
Italy, the company said.

The 720-foot-long cruise ship -- hull and superstructure painted
in Holland America Line's trademark dark blue and white -- was towed
from its building dock to a nearby quay, where it will be finished.
Construction of the Statendam is proceeding on schedule, with
preliminary sea trials scheduled for September.

The floating-out was preceded on April 2 by a coin-beneath-the-
mast ceremony, a "good luck" tradition dating back to the days of
wooden sailing ships.

A coin once was placed on a ship's keel under the mast, a
tradition that has been updated for today's modern ships.

A U.S. quarter embedded in clear resin was placed in the mast of
the Statendam -- the final module installed on the ship. The coin
box will be visible to passengers, along with a stainless steel
plaque explaining its significance.

The Statendam, the fifth Holland America ship to bear the name in
the company's 119-year history, is scheduled for delivery in late
1992. The ship represents a new generation of "world class" luxury
liners for the 1990s, featuring the latest technological design, but
also continuing many popular features found in the present fleet.