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lished in early May, Mr. Jan Vapaavuori
WORK STARTED ON
– the Finnish Minister of Industries – com-
THE SECOND CRUISER
mented on the new situation on his Face-
In the shadow of the hollow-sounding
Once completed, both of the TUI
book pages.
statements of the ministers, the shipbuild-
cruisers will be sophisticated and highly
ers at STX’s Turku shipyard keep building
innovative cruise ships with a length of 294
new cruisers.
metres and a width of 36 metres.
”At this stage, it is quite impossible
to assess what STX’s stated intention to sell
the shipyards is actually going to mean in
”I am very happy that we are building
these ships in Finland,” Mr. Vogel stated.
An important milestone was reached
High balcony ratio will ensure that
on 24 May, 2013, when the keel-laying
most of the passengers will have a pos-
”What is significant from the stand-
ceremony for the first of the TUI cruisers
sibility to enjoy their own balconies dur-
point of the Finnish shipyards is that the
was arranged in Turku. On the same day,
ing the cruise. The ships will have a wide
possible eventual sale transaction will not
production of the second TUI ship was
variety of restaurants, a theatre, a spa, a
basically affect the financing package for
started.
nightclub and a large deck area.
practice,” Mr. Vapaavuori noted.
the TUI cruisers that are currently being
The ships are scheduled for delivery
Each ship will have 1 250 staterooms,
in spring 2014 and spring 2015, respec-
serve 2 500 passengers and have a crew of
The Minister pointed out that in any
tively. Combined, these two vessels will
1 000 persons. The cruise ships will have
event, STX Finland ought to commit itself
bring some 11 000 man-years of labour
many environmentally friendly features,
to pursuing further-reaching competitive-
to STX Finland’s Turku Shipyard.
with a particular emphasis on the vessels’
built at STX’s Turku shipyard.”
ness on the shipbuilding market.
Speaking at the keel-laying cere-
”After all, the formula for success of
the shipyards will even in the future be
Cruises – said he was quite satisfied with
based on strong privately-owned industri-
the work carried out so far on the first
al operators, as well as on the operation-
cruiser. He was also impressed by the good
al competitiveness of the shipyards them-
working atmosphere and team spirit at
selves,” Vapaavuori emphasised.
Turku shipyard.
energy efficiency.
mony, Mr. Richard J. Vogel – CEO of TUI
MERJA KIHL
ARI MONONEN
seatec 2/2013
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