Photos: Meyer Werft
Despite troubled economy, Meyer Werft has enjoyed a good stretch of
smooth sailing in recent years. Now, however, there is an interesting
proposal on the table that could help the German shipyard get to the next
level. The Turku shipyard – the maker of the world’s greatest cruise ships
Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas – is for sale, if the conditions are
right. Turku could finally give Meyer Werft what it has been missing all
these centuries: easy access to the sea.
T
he Finnish Government is serving as a
similar way that the Oasis class ships did.
kind of matchmaker in this situation,
Known as Quantum class, these two ves-
facilitating talks between the Turku ship-
sels promise to bring something extra to
yard owner, South Korean STX and Meyer
the table.
Werft. Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs
Jan Vapaavuori talked with the Germans
GET THE QUANTUM
about the purchase of the Turku shipyard
Presently, the construction of the first ship,
already in November 2013. During the
Quantum of the Seas, is in full swing at
spring, Vapaavuori has been logging in
the dry dock in Hall 6 of the Papenburg
frequent flyer miles trying to get the deal
shipyard, with completion scheduled for
off the ground, talking with the Koreans
autumn 2014. This ship will feature the lat-
in May.
est environmental technologies along with
Meyer Werft has the means to buy
enhanced energy efficiency – but that, of
its Finnish rival, since the German shipyard
course, may not be exactly why cruise-lov-
is in excellent form financially. Serving as
ers buy the tickets. It’s the entertainment
an anchor of sorts, the German shipyard
that the patrons want – and German ship-
has Project Sunshine – namely, two ships
builders do know how to deliver.
for Royal Caribbean International which
Case in point: ‘The North Star,’ an
are expected to “change the game” in a
observation capsule modelled on