seatec - Finnish marine technology review 1/2011 | Page 46

Although being hit hard by the global recession, the German shipyards are not down and out yet. Leading the comeback, there is A lso the prospects for the future look Along with massive investments made in solid enough, thanks to a couple of production premises, the shipyards have new orders that were placed with the Pap- launched productivity programmes. enburg and Rostock shipbuilders. All told, the order book of both shipyards compris- DREAM IS REAL Meyer Werft which is coming off ing eight cruise ships, six river cruise ships To signal the beginning of better times, a rather successful year despite all and one ferry amounts to approximately Meyer Werft delivered a true fairytale ship the turbulence in the industry. € 4 billion, and will keep both yards (Meyer to the client in December. Disney Cruise Werft and Neptun Werft) busy until 2013. Line took possession of its newest ship – The orders should also safeguard the Disney Dream – on 9 December in a tradi- jobs of 2,500 Meyer Werft employees and tional maritime ceremony aboard the ship 450 employees at Neptun Werft. in Bremerhaven, Germany. Anticipating upcoming personnel bottlenecks, both shipyards are also trying gan nearly two years earlier in Papen- to boost professional training and further PHOTO: DISNEY CRUISE LINE The ship’s construction journey beburg, Germany; now all is set for the ship’s education of their staff to stay competitive. maiden voyage, scheduled for January 26, Dream the Impossible Dream MEYER WERFT LEADS THE RESURRECTION 44 seatec 1/2011