Project Manager Jaakko Leinonen acknowledges that every ship project comes with its share of challenges , but , this time around , those challenged reached almost Biblical proportions .
“ Covid-19 hit in March 2020 and we took all possible precautions , with masks and safety distancing and the works . At the same time , we kept hearing about shipyards in France and Italy shutting down due to the pandemic and had to wonder , can we keep this going ?” Leinonen looks back at the harrowing experience .
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The pandemic was our biggest hurdle to cross and we were able to handle it .
LIVING ON THE EDGE
With 5,000 workers coming through the yard gates on peak days during the summer , that left room for a whole lot of worry : what if Covid makes its way here , too ? Add to that , lay-offs at the yard , problems in getting foreign workers on site , new CEO coming in and the first whitecollar strike in this century and you can see that the project manager had his hands full . Still , the shipyard labored on to get the “ end product ” ready for December launch – and , finally , succeeded .
“ In my mind , this is clear success story in this industry . The pandemic was our biggest hurdle to cross and we were able to handle it ,” he says .
“ When the ship was inspected , there was a minimal number of notes given . It was as close to perfect as you can get in this business ,” says Leinonen , a 20-year industry veteran .
24 seatec 2021