The Meyer Werft has chosen the Northern German port of Emden for the final outfitting of four cruise ships.
The newbuilds are to be delivered in 2027 and 2028 and completed in Emden. “This will create a continuous value chain in Lower Saxony,” commented Lower Saxony’s Minister President Olaf Lies. “This is a strong sign of industrial expertise, regional value creation, economic sustainability and employment.”
The necessary conditions for this are being created by port operator Niedersachsen Ports. Among other things, targeted dredging of the harbor basin and an expansion of the berthing basin are planned in order to accommodate the cruise ships. The ships involved were not named. However, Meyer Werft’s order book includes deliveries to Carnival Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line for these periods.
“More added value in the country strengthens our ports, our businesses and our regions,” wrote Lies in a LinkedIn post. “This is exactly what it’s all about: securing industrial cores, opening up new perspectives and consistently expanding existing strengths.”
Following financial difficulties in 2024, which ultimately led to partial nationalization and restructuring, the Papenburg-based Meyer Werft is back in stable waters. The company is currently working to capacity until 2035. The most recent major order is for four newbuilds for cruise operator MSC Cruises, which has chosen the long-established German company for the first time after long partnerships with Fincantieri and Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
