Msc orders six cruise ships from German shipyard Meyer Werft

A new order for cruise ships, by Msc, which this time chooses the historic German shipyard of Papenburg for the construction of these units, to which the order will ensure full capacity for the next decade. The order, the value of which has not been made official, but would be around €10 billion, marks the start of the New Frontier platform, a new class of ship. The agreement was announced by the executive chairman of Msc Cruises, Pierfrancesco Vago, and Meyer's CEO, Bernd Eikens, at the Federal Ministry of Economy and Energy in Berlin, in the presence of Minister Katherina Reiche and the Minister-President of Lower Saxony, with responsibility for Energy, Olaf Lies.

With a maximum capacity of 5,400 passengers and approximately 180,000 gross tonnes, these vessels will be delivered annually starting in 2030. The Papenburg shipyard, it was recalled, employs more than 3,200 people, in terms of direct employees, and guarantees more than 20 thousand jobs, regionally, related to the company's activities.

"Meyer's solid track record, high competence and prestigious history," said Vago, "make it a benchmark in European shipbuilding. Together, we will create ships that redefine the cruise experience, while preserving the construction excellence that puts Germany at the forefront of shipbuilding engineering. The New Frontier class will allow us to design new and exclusive itineraries, offer our guests exceptional experiences and integrate state-of-the-art environmental technologies that will contribute to achieving our commitment to climate neutrality by 2050."

The new order, Eikens added, 'marks a milestone in Meyer Werft's 230-year history. We are delighted to welcome Msc Cruises as a new and strategic partner, and are sincerely honoured by the trust placed in us. This long-term partnership ensures sustainable growth and employment stability for many years to come'.