Sunday June 27th 2021
Bright spot for MV Werften
Expedition yacht christened in Stralsund
In the Corona crisis, MV Werften got a list. The cruise market collapses and the Asian owner’s cash register is ebbing. The federal government and the state jump to the side with help – and see a signal of departure from the christening of a new ship.
Around five years after the takeover of MV Werften by the Asian Genting Group from Hong Kong, the first new ship was christened in Stralsund on the weekend. Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier and Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig took part in the ceremony in the Hanseatic city in the northeast. The expedition cruise ship “Crystal Endeavor” will in future have its home port in the Icelandic capital Reykjavik. The christening is a ray of hope for the shipyard association, which is being held afloat with state and state aid in the corona crisis.
The Genting Group took over the shipyards in Stralsund, Rostock and Wismar in 2016. The Asian cruise company wanted to be independent of shipyard capacities in the booming segment of ship tours and to build up its own fleet. This Paln received a heavy list in the Corona crisis with the de facto collapse of global tourism
Washington, Rostock-Laage, Stralsund – that was the route taken by Minister for Economic Affairs Altmeier (right). Schwesig can meanwhile come up with the Strelasund and the island of Rügen.
(Photo: dpa)
That is also why MV Prime Minister Schwesig spoke of a milestone at the christening on the ship’s helicopter deck. The ship gives hope and confidence that after difficult times shipbuilding will continue in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. At the beginning of June, after months of negotiations, MV Werften received around 300 million euros from the federal government’s economic stabilization fund.
Altmaier, who had just arrived from Washington that morning after his visit, said the federal government had made almost a billion euros available in its economic stimulus package for the transition to climate-neutral shipbuilding. All shipyards benefit from this.
Festival of superlatives
The ten-day maiden voyage of the “Crystal Endeavor” is scheduled to start in mid-July from Reykjavík around Iceland and into the Arctic region. In the announcement for the christening, the shipyard and the top of the group went into superlatives: The ship is therefore the first ice-class luxury expedition yacht built in Germany. The 164 meter long ship is also the fastest, most spacious and most powerful expedition mega yacht in the industry.
Glance into one of the six restaurants on the ship.
(Photo: dpa)
Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, CEO of Genting Hong Kong, referred in his message to the highest ratio of staff to guests in the industry, namely 1: 1. For Jack Anderson, head of the cruise line, the “Crystal Endeavor” will be nothing less than “set a new standard on the world market”. Shipyard boss Peter Fetten reminded that it would represent German shipbuilding all over the world.
According to the shipyard, the “Crystal Endeavor” has 100 suites between 28 and 105 square meters. A butler service is available around the clock for a maximum of 200 passengers. There are six gourmet restaurants, a casino, a solarium, a spa, fitness center and, of course, shopping opportunities on board. Anyone who wants to leave the ship for excursions in spite of all this: two helicopters, 18 rubber dinghies, 14 kayaks and a mini submarine for six guests are available. The “Crystal Endeavor” is the ninth ship in the Crystal Cruises fleet, cruise division of the Genting group, according to the further information.
Almost 3,000 people are currently still working at the three shipyard locations of the Genting Group in the north-east. The aid and restructuring package, however, provides for the loss of 650 jobs. The shipyards are already working on further ships for the group.
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