Meyer Turku has embarked on a subtle yet decisive shift in shipyard practice with the introduction of central heating systems aboard vessels under construction. Whereas oil-fired stoves once warmed steel hulls during the colder months, the yard now channels heated water through movable central pipelines. This innovation, deployed in late autumn 2024 after initial trials in late 2023, has displaced approximately 428 m³ of oil and reduced CO₂ emissions by around 1,042 tons by March 2025.
Beyond its environmental gains, the switch to district-heated central systems brings notable savings in fuel costs, owing to water’s greater efficiency and lower price compared to oil. Meyer Turku intends to extend this system throughout the yard, with the ultimate aim of eliminating oil-powered heating in all future builds.
Hanna Haaksi, the yard’s Head of ESG, described this shift as an archetype of Meyer Turku’s commitment to tangible sustainability measures. She emphasized that in their view, the best energy is energy never consumed.
Simultaneously, the shipyard is advancing multiple initiatives to refine energy use across its facilities. A compressed-air management system installed in autumn 2023 curtailed idle compressor activity, balanced pressure loads, and slashed annual electricity usage by around 1,500 MWh. Lighting upgrades—from LEDs to DALI smart controls—have lowered consumption by about 2,229 MWh per year. Climate control systems in four production halls now maintain more even temperatures, saving approximately 1,300 MWh annually, while ventilation improvements across six systems yield another 3,885 MWh in yearly efficiency. Heat recovery enhancements in both liquid and air systems, augmented with intelligent regulation, deliver further annual savings of roughly 2,820 MWh.
Since 2018, Meyer Turku has sourced certified carbon-neutral electricity, and as of 2023, all district heating supplied to the yard has carried similar certification.
The company is set on a longer trajectory—pursuing carbon-neutral yard operations by 2030 and developing fully carbon-neutral cruise ship concepts by 2025.
This layered approach—melding central heating, efficiency upgrades, renewable energy sourcing, and design innovation—positions Meyer Turku as both navigator and pioneer in the ongoing transformation of maritime construction.