It is an important signal for Papenburg as a shipbuilding location: the Japanese Oriental Land Company (OLC) has commissioned Meyer Werft to build a cruise ship modelled on the "Disney Wish". The shipbuilding contract was signed in Tokyo on 9 July.
Travelling fun with Mickey and Co.
OLC is the operator of Disney theme parks and hotels, such as Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Ambassador Hotel. Now the company wants to enter the cruise business and has reached an agreement with the Walt Disney Company (WDC) to bring the magic of Disney cruises to the Japanese market for the first time. On board are rooms and attractions with well-known characters from the Disney universe as well as from the Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars themes. The ship's deck is also home to the first Disney ride at sea: the AquaMouse water ride.
Disney wish
Meyer Werft delivered the "Disney Wish", the type ship of the three-ship Triton class of the US shipping company Disney Cruise Line (WDC), in 2022. The two sister ships, the "Disney Treasure" and the "Disney Destiny", are under construction in Papenburg and are scheduled for delivery in 2024 and 2025. The 341-metre-long "Disney Wish" (144,000 GT) has diesel engines as well as LNG propulsion and 1250 passenger cabins for 4,000 passengers. The commissioned ship, whose name is not yet known, is scheduled for delivery in 2028. OLC expects to put the ship into operation at the beginning of 2029.
The almost completed "Disney Wish" 2022 in the Papenburg shipyard. Photo: CC BY-SA 2.0
This order contributes to the long-term development of shipbuilding in Papenburg, says senior partner Bernard Meyer. The CEO of the Meyer Group adds that this is a strong signal for shipbuilding in Papenburg and shows that companies from all over the world trust in the quality of Meyer Werft.
Meyer Werft in financial difficulties
Despite a well-filled order book for the coming years, Meyer Werft is in financial difficulties. The NDR reported that the company has to repay a loan of more than half a billion euros by November of this year, but has to pre-finance 80 per cent of the new builds. It is currently unclear how Meyer intends to repay the loan debt.
The debts are the result of the Covid pandemic, increased general and financing costs and the war against Ukraine, as the company announced in its annual report for 2023. Talks are currently being held with the state government of Lower Saxony, the trade unions, the works council and external consultants regarding guarantees, job cuts and the reorganisation of the shipyard. Results are not yet known, but time is pressing.
kdk
Source: SWZ Maritime, ndr
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