Newly Formed MV WERFTEN to Focus on Cruise Builds
Wismar
Jarmo Laakso
Rostock
Stralsund
Genting Hong Kong announced that the three shipyards in the German State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern bought this April will be named as MV WERFTEN*, be managed in Wismar and will focus on building large new cruise ships. Lloyd Werft located in Bremerhaven and bought last September will focus on its prior business of repairs, conversion and building of megayachts.
“To make MV WERFTEN one of the world’s most modern and efficient cruise shipyards, we will invest 100 million euros in a thin plate laser welding line, a cabin module factory, a new covered section block building hall, the modernization of manufacturing control systems and new executive and employee offices and facilities,” said Tan Sri KT Lim, the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Genting Group.
Jarmo Laakso has been appointed Managing Director of MV WERFTEN. “Mr. Laakso has more than 35 years’ experience in building passenger ships, including the latest generation of mega cruise ships, such as the Quantum of the Seas. Mr. Laakso has a unique yard and owner perspective as he has worked for Meyer Werft from 1998 to 2004 and for Royal Caribbean International from 2005 to 2015,” Tan Sri KT Lim added.
“We highly appreciate the commitment of Genting Hong Kong,” said Harry Glawe, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern‘s Economics Minister. “This is a strong signal and a clear statement of Genting on the shipbuilding industry in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern – and in particular on the shipyards Wismar, Rostock and Stralsund.”
MV WERFTEN will deliver the first four luxury Crystal River ships in 2017, the first of a series of 20,000 gross tonnage Crystal Endeavor Class polar expedition yachts in 2018 and the first of a series of 201,000 gross tonnage Star Cruises Global Class cruise ships by 2020. The planned annual output of MV WERFTEN will be stepped up in future years to eventually build two Neo-Panamax cruise ships of over 200,000 gross tonnage each and one Panamax cruise vessel a year. MV WERFTEN has docks, fabrication halls and painting shops which are all covered and, as a result, is able to produce cruise ships of the highest quality and workmanship, valued at more than 2.5 billion euros, the shipbuilder said.
“We will build on the strength of the 1,400 employees of MV WERFTEN,” Laakso said. “We have hired and are still hiring more people with cruise shipbuilding experience who, with the current workforce, will make MV WERFTEN one of the most efficient and innovative cruise shipbuilders in Europe.”
Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven will continue to be led by Managing Director Rüdiger Pallentin, Dirk Petersjohann and Carsten Haake and focus on its previous business repair and conversion and will, with its recently established Lloyd Werft Design Center, strengthen its ability to build megayachts.
*Note: MV is the abbreviation of the German State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern where the three yards are located and Werften is the plural form of Werft
