One of the oldest shipyards in service, the cruise shipbuilding company Meyer Werft celebrates 226 years in late-January. Throughout its history, the shipyard has played a major role in making changes to ship design, and its work influenced the shipbuilding community.
To cement Meyer Werft's position in the post-COVID era as a modern shipbuilding pioneer, the firm has been working on new eco-friendly technological solutions for cruise liners. In a recent release, the company said intensive research was being "carried out on fuel cell technology and other technical innovations on passenger ships to pave the way for emission-free cruise ships.”
2020 hit the cruise shipbuilding and cruise industries hard. Despite restrictions, Meyer Werft's shipyard in Papenburg Germany was still able to deliver 2 vessels - Iona (for P&O Cruises UK) and Spirit of Adventure (for Saga Cruises), respectively, in September and October 2020.
To keep the company afloat during the crisis and hereafter, several measures were undertaken, including an investment freeze, an extensive savings package, a RIF reduction of temporary employees, the German policy of short-time work, as well as a significant reduction in the number of contractor staff.
Meyer Werft Papenburg also negotiated with cruise companies to extend existing ship orders, which deterred order cancellations and prevented layoffs.