seatec - Finnish marine technology review 2/2013 | Page 35

www.arvelin.fi Kauppakartanonkatu 7, 00930 Helsinki Puh. 09-2511 110, expo@arvelin.fi lished in early May, Mr. Jan Vapaavuori WORK STARTED ON – the Finnish Minister of Industries – com- THE SECOND CRUISER mented on the new situation on his Face- In the shadow of the hollow-sounding Once completed, both of the TUI book pages. statements of the ministers, the shipbuild- cruisers will be sophisticated and highly ers at STX’s Turku shipyard keep building innovative cruise ships with a length of 294 new cruisers. metres and a width of 36 metres. ”At this stage, it is quite impossible to assess what STX’s stated intention to sell the shipyards is actually going to mean in ”I am very happy that we are building these ships in Finland,” Mr. Vogel stated. An important milestone was reached High balcony ratio will ensure that on 24 May, 2013, when the keel-laying most of the passengers will have a pos- ”What is significant from the stand- ceremony for the first of the TUI cruisers sibility to enjoy their own balconies dur- point of the Finnish shipyards is that the was arranged in Turku. On the same day, ing the cruise. The ships will have a wide possible eventual sale transaction will not production of the second TUI ship was variety of restaurants, a theatre, a spa, a basically affect the financing package for started. nightclub and a large deck area. practice,” Mr. Vapaavuori noted. the TUI cruisers that are currently being The ships are scheduled for delivery Each ship will have 1 250 staterooms, in spring 2014 and spring 2015, respec- serve 2 500 passengers and have a crew of The Minister pointed out that in any tively. Combined, these two vessels will 1 000 persons. The cruise ships will have event, STX Finland ought to commit itself bring some 11 000 man-years of labour many environmentally friendly features, to pursuing further-reaching competitive- to STX Finland’s Turku Shipyard. with a particular emphasis on the vessels’ built at STX’s Turku shipyard.” ness on the shipbuilding market. Speaking at the keel-laying cere- ”After all, the formula for success of the shipyards will even in the future be Cruises – said he was quite satisfied with based on strong privately-owned industri- the work carried out so far on the first al operators, as well as on the operation- cruiser. He was also impressed by the good al competitiveness of the shipyards them- working atmosphere and team spirit at selves,” Vapaavuori emphasised. Turku shipyard. energy efficiency. mony, Mr. Richard J. Vogel – CEO of TUI MERJA KIHL ARI MONONEN seatec 2/2013 33