The year 2022 began with a new order and a new cooperation for MEYER WERFT: The order for the construction of the new research vessel Meteor IV was awarded to the two cooperation partners Fassmer and MEYER WERFT. This was an important signal for the family-run shipyards. Shortly afterwards, the Ukraine war began at the end of February - without the Corona crisis having ended yet. Both crises and their consequences in terms of material shortages and high price increases continue to hit cruise and shipbuilding hard.
As in the previous two years, the shipyard has taken numerous measures to maintain the economic stability of the company with around 3,350 employees and at the same time continue to enable the long-term restructuring and transformation towards digitalisation and sustainability.
Despite all the adverse circumstances, MEYER WERFT once again succeeded in delivering two ships to international customers. In June and December 2022, the two newbuildings Disney Wish for Disney Cruise Line and the Arvia for P&O Cruises were delivered. Further innovative large-scale projects will be implemented in the coming years. At the sister shipyard MEYER TURKU, the Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, is currently being built, which will once again set standards for the industry with a multitude of technical and touristic innovations. For example, the Aqua Dome, the largest glass structure at sea, is installed on board the ship.
Especially during the global challenges MEYER WERFT sets the course for the future. For this reason, the order book was once again adjusted to the special situation in order to be able to hand over fully completed ships to customers on a reliable date and in the usual MEYER quality despite all the disruptions to the supply chains and material bottlenecks.
In addition, the MEYER Group has further diversified its product portfolio: MEYER RE offers comprehensive after-sales service offerings, MEYER Floating Solutions develops and builds floating buildings for a wide variety of purposes and MEYER YACHTS plans the greenest and largest superyachts in the world. The joint acquisition of NEPTUN SHIP DESIGN with Fassmer and the founding of MEYER WISMAR to complete the former Global 1 for Disney Cruise Line have further expanded the MEYER Group and provide employment in the German shipbuilding industry. The group of companies is thus positioning itself much more broadly and is also focusing on products outside the cruise industry.
At the same time, MEYER WERFT is working intensively on transformation and improvement projects to achieve better annual and project results and to emerge from this crisis stronger in the medium and long term.
In order to further expand its technology leadership in cruise ships, the shipyard has been working on new emission-free solutions for more than 15 years: LNG propulsion systems were introduced ready for series production for the first time in 2018. In the future, this fuel will represent a green solution for shipping. Intensive research is also being carried out on fuel cell technology, methanol as a fuel and other technical innovations on passenger and cruise ships to enable the path to the emission-free cruise ship.
The Silva Nova, which will be completed in 2023, will not only be equipped with low-emission LNG, but also with a fuel cell system for the entire hotel operation and batteries. This means that the new building exceeds the IMO's highest requirements, which will only apply in the future, by 25 per cent in terms of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI). For the first time at Silversea, Nova-class ships will feature a horizontal layout and innovative asymmetrical design, with public spaces and suites spanning the entire length of the ship.
Also due for delivery in 2023 is Carnival Jubilee, a ship for US-based Carnival Cruise Line.
Innovative and environmentally friendly ship designs are the result of years of research and development work by the MEYER Group's Global Design Team of more than 1,300 members. This team brings together all the MEYER Group's development and design activities at the various locations and is looking for further specialists and junior staff for future technologies. Architects for the MEYER Group's broad product portfolio of cruise and special ships, MEYER Y A C H T S as well as MEYER Floating Solutions are also being sought.
