Bremerhaven/Papenburg, 30 October 2019 - Today MEYER WERFT handed over the 169,245 GRT cruise ship Norwegian Encore to Norwegian Cruise Line (Miami, USA) in Bremerhaven following extensive testing of all machinery and systems, sea trials and intensive crew training. Norwegian Encore is the third vessels delivered by MEYER WERFT in 2019.

Norwegian Encore offers ultra-modern gastronomy and many exciting attrac-tions including a large go-cart track. Pool highlights include two slides extend-ing down several decks and double ocean loops protruding beyond the side of the ship. The luxurious interior, latest technical equipment and outstanding service with a crew of about 1,700 persons, promise a first-class recreation and relaxation experience.

The technical equipment for a perfect entertainment on board is standard for cruise ships built in Papenburg. But the ship offers more than just unique en-tertainment. Many technical measures to protect the environment ensure pas-sengers can enjoy a lovely holiday while at the same time showing responsibil-ity for the environment, illustrated clearly by features including the electric pod propulsion drive and improved hydrodynamics, together with many energy sav-ing systems such as heat recovery or extensive water cleaning systems. The exhaust gas from energy-efficient engines is cleaned in a special scrubber system.

“Norwegian Encore is the third cruise ship we deliver in 2019. I am proud and thankful for the contribution of our employees and partners”, said Tim Meyer, Managing Director of Meyer Werft.

Following delivery, Norwegian Encore will be leaving Bremerhaven for South-ampton, where the ship will be presented to the public for the first time. The ship will be christened on 21 November 2019 in Miami by Kelly Clarkson, an American singer.

Rostock, 15 October 2019 – Today the keel laying ceremony was held for the first block of the new cruise ship AIDAcosma for the German shipping company AIDA Cruises at NEPTUN WERFT in Warnemünde. The traditional lucky cent was placed under the first of altogether 90 blocks by the two trainees Charleen Hoffmann (AIDA Cruises) and Kenny Schaft (NEPTUN WERFT). At the ship yard, the ship’s engine room unit is produced. AIDAcosma is scheduled to be delivered by MEYER WERFT in Papenburg in spring 2021.

“The keel laying of AIDAcosma again is a proof for the quality of our ship builders and our importance within the MEYER Group”, says Manfred Ossevorth, Managing Director of NEPTUN WERFT. The ship yard constructs the floating engine room unit for cruise ships built at MEYER WERFT and MEYER TURKU.

These are the first ship yard to realise the innovative LNG-technology for cruise ships. “With this successful collaboration between our ship yards and our suppliers we are pioneers again”, says Tim Meyer, Managing Director of MEYER WERFT.

The engine room unit for AIDAcosma will be equipped with tanks and main engines from Caterpillar. The ship will be 337 metres long, 42 metres wide and be 183.900 GT in size.

2021 First practical test on board AIDAnova planned as part of the Pa-X-ell2 project

The Pa-X-ell2 research project is entering the next phase with a consortium of eight project partners. The aim of the companies involved is to investigate and develop a decentralised energy network and a hybrid energy system with a new generation of fuel cells for use on ocean-going passenger ships. The first project meeting took place at MEYER WERFT.

Since October 2019 the project consortium of Pa-X-ell2 includes MEYER WERFT, Lürssen Werft, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, DNV GL, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), AIDA Cruises represented by Carnival Maritime GmbH, Besecke automation and EPEA GmbH - Part of Drees & Sommer.

The current project phase runs until the end of 2021 under the leadership of MEYER WERFT. In addition to the development of the fuel cells, the entire energy system and its integration on board will also be investigated. The development of energy networks and energy management as well as ecological and economic analyses are also part of the project.

As early as 2014, MEYER WERFT commissioned a fuel cell demonstrator on shore as part of its predecessor project Pa-X-ell. Since 2016, MEYER WERFT has carried out a first test of fuel cells on board the Baltic Sea ferry Mariella. In the new project phase, the new fuel cells will be tested on the cruise ship AIDAnova. AIDAnova is the first cruise ship in the world to operate completely with low-emission liquefied natural gas (LNG) and was delivered to AIDA Cruises by MEYER WERFT at the end of 2018.

The fuel cell offers the possibility of even lower emission energy generation on board than is currently possible with LNG. It operates with low emissions, low noise and low vibration. The fuel cell is powered by hydrogen, which is reformed from methanol. This can be generated in the long term with regenerative energies and thus the fuel cell can be operated emission-neutral. Methanol as an energy carrier also offers good properties with regard to the storage volume.

After intensive tests on land, the fuel cells manufactured by Freudenberg are to be tested for the first time in real operation on board AIDAnova from 2021 onwards. For this reason, the fuel cells from Freudenberg Sealing Technologies will also be designed for significantly higher durability. Initial tests have shown that a service life of more than 35,000 operating hours can be achieved.

The Pa-X-ell2 research project is part of the e4ships cluster, as is the RiverCell2 project, which is carried out to research fuel cells on board river cruise ships. The research projects belong to the National Innovation Programme Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology and are funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.

Papenburg, September 26 2019 - The new cruise ship for Norwegian Cruise Line (USA), Norwegian Encore, will probably leave Papenburg on Monday, September 30 2019 to be conveyed on the river Ems to Eemshaven (Netherlands). The ship is planned to arrive in Eemshaven on Wednesday morning. Later on the ship will go through several days of technical and nautical sea trials on the North Sea before deliv-ery to the cruise line end of October in Bremerhaven.

The Ems barrier will be helping Norwegian Encore to pass through the river Ems, a pro-cedure which will be kept as short as possible. The following schedule has been drawn up for the conveyance of the new cruise ship, with changes possible at short notice due to the weather and tidal conditions:

Monday, September 30, 2019

Approx. 06.30 pm: ship in waiting position (Papenburg)

Approx. 10.00 pm: ship passes sea lock (Papenburg)

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Approx. 03.30 am: ship passes Friesenbrücke (Weener)

Approx. 05.45 am: ship passes the Jann Berghaus bridge (Leer)

Approx. 09.30 am: arrival at the river Ems barrier (Gandersum)

Approx. 03.00 pm: ship passes the Ems barrier

Approx. 04.30 pm: ship passes Emden

All details are subject to the wind, weather and water levels and are therefore without guarantee. Timings can be changed at short notice!

Once again, a team of river pilots from Emden will be responsible for manoeuvring the ship to Eemshaven. The yard captain of MEYER WERFT also comes from the team of pilots on the river. The whole team trained the conveyance at the computerised simula-tor in Wageningen (Netherlands) to be better prepared for the task.

Norwegian Encore will proceed in reverse up the river Ems to the North Sea. This ap-proach has proven successful in the past as it makes it easier to manoeuvre the ship. Two tugs will be providing assistance in the process.

The cruise ship with 169,300 GRT is one of the largest cruise ships to be built in Ger-many with capacity for about 4,004 passengers. After completing the technical and nautical sea trials on the North Sea, the ship will be handed over to the owners end of October 2019.

Meanwhile, MEYER WERFT continues to work flat out on other ships: building dock II currently houses the Iona which is scheduled to be completed in spring 2020 for the British P&O Cruises and Odyssey of the Seas for Royal Caribbean International with delivery in autumn 2020, while Spirit of Adventure gets completed in building dock I. The ship for Saga Cruises (UK) is scheduled to be delivered in summer 2019.

Papenburg, 20 September 2019 – 230 students from regional schools followed an invitation by MEYER WERFT to discuss the future way of cruising.

In the open format “world café” the pupils showed their visions and ideas for the future of cruising and sustainable operating companies. Several topics like ship building, ship operations and the cruise industry were discussed at 14 stations of the world café. The adolescents debated with 40 apprentices, dual students and employees of MEYER WERFT the challenges on the way to “zero emission cruising”. MEYER WERFT experts from Technical Offices, Research & Development, Purchasing, Project Management and Production moderated the open discussions. Each pupil has seen all 14 stations at the end of the event and discussed all topics.

Many topics identified as an important factor for future economy and life match current or completed project at MEYER WERFT. Low-emission fuels have become reality: 14 LNG cruise ships are in the order books of MEYER WERFT and MEYER TURKU. And the work continues: Research of fuel cells and methanol is going on for more than five years. All further ships are equipped with exhaust treatment systems.

Topics such as energy and environmental management at MEYER WERFT, work in international councils, innovative production technologies, waste treatment on board and lightweight construction are on the students minds.

MEYER WERFT stands for quality and innovation in the ship building industry. The latest example for that is the delivery of AIDAnova, the world’s first low emission LNG-powered cruise ship, in 2018. The company now presents itself for the 10th time in a row as the technology leader in cruise ship building at Seatrade Europe Hamburg.

As just one of a few companys, MEYER WERFT is participating the trade fair from the beginning and traditionally focuses on new technologies. MEYER WERFT is the only exhibitor that has already realized the shift to alternative propulsion systems.

Currently 14 LNG-powered cruise ships are on order at MEYER WERFT and MEYER TURKU by international customers. These are AIDA Cruises (2 ships), P&O Cruises (2 ships), Disney Cruise Line (3 ships), Costa Crociere (2 ships), Carnival Cruise Line (2 ships) snd Royal Caribbean International (3 ships).

That makes 74 percent of the order book at MEYER WERFT and 93 percent of the order book at MEYER TURKU by tonnage. Therefore MEYER Group is the world market leader in the construction and building of environmental friendly LNG cruise ships. Additionally NEPTUN WERFT has gained enormous know-how in the building of LNG-tanks and LNG engine room units.

MEYER WERFT is executing several research and development projects to further reduce the emissions of cruise ships.