Miami-based cruise line operator Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Meyer Turku shipyard signed a memorandum of agreement for two next generation cruise ship orders to be delivered in 2022 and 2024, the company said in its press release. The around 200,000 gross ton large cruise ships under the project name “Icon” will mark the beginning of a new generation of LNG powered cruise ships with a number of innovations such as an application of fuel cells for power generation. Fuel cells are a very energy efficient and clean way to generate electrical energy.
With the new orders, Meyer Turku shipyard will increase its output until 2024 substantially beyond Turku yard’s all-time-high work load during Oasis/Allure times in 2007 – 2009. These new orders further lengthen the order book until 2024 and thus provide an unprecedented level of stability and allow for a smooth production ramp-up. The eight year long horizon creates a unique opportunity for Turku shipyard and the entire Finnish maritime cluster to invest and develop their capabilities with a long-term strategy and achieve new leaps in technology.
Meyer Turku has so far announced 75m€ of investments in Turku yard and further investments are on the drawing board. In addition to the machinery and IT systems of the yard, the family owned company is also investing heavily in people and is on a good way to increase the number of employees from around 1300 in 2014 to 1800 in the future. The total employment effect including the many specialized subcontractors is estimated to be larger than 15,000.
Meyer Turku Oy employs 1,500 persons and specializes in building highly complex, innovative and environmentally friendly cruise ships, car-passenger ferries and special vessels. Together with two sister shipyards in Germany, Meyer Werft in Papenburg and Neptun Werft in Rostock, Meyer Turku is one of the world’s leading cruise ship builders. The successful shipbuilding tradition in Turku has been continuing since 1737. The company is currently building cruise ships for TUI Cruises and a fast ferry for Tallink. The company will also build two cruise ships for Costa Crociere.
The design and construction of the ships are supported by the subsidiaries of Meyer Turku: Piikkio Works Oy, which is a Cabin Factory in Piikkiö, Shipbuilding Completion Oy, which provides turnkey solutions to public spaces in ships, and ENG´nD Oy, which is an engineering company offering services for shipbuilding and offshore.