German cruise line TUI Cruises has taken possession of the Mein Schiff 4 cruise ship from Turku Oy, formerly known as STX Europa.
The delivery on May 8th was no ordinary event, as it was the first vessel under Meyer Werft's ownership. Just two days earlier, on May 6th, the Mein Schiff was launched, marking the shipyard in Turku, Finland becoming wholly owned by Meyer Werft, which is based in Papenburg, Germany.
“Today is a proud day as we have delivered TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 4, and this beautiful ship is ready to sail. I want to thank the shipbuilders at Meyer Turku, our subcontractors, and the ship's owner, TUI Cruises, for the great cooperation that allowed us to create this sophisticated cruise ship together, which is comparable to a complex traveling city. Now that the Turku shipyard is 100% family-owned, this makes me even prouder. Our passion for shipbuilding drives us toward success with a long-term vision. We value our history, but we know that we must constantly reinvent ourselves,” says Jan Meyer, Managing Director of Meyer Turku Oy.
The Mein Schiff 4 is the second of six state-of-the-art ships owned by TUI Cruises. The first, the Schiff Mein 3, was delivered in 2014, and a sister ship is expected to be delivered each year until 2019. With the Mein Schiff 4, Meyer Turku has further refined its construction processes. The project entered production two years ago, and in February 2014, the ship's keel was laid in dry dock. In October 2014, the ship touched the water for the first time.
“Our expansion is progressing rapidly thanks to the seamless coordination between the shipyard, our construction team, and all the companies involved. We are very pleased and delighted with this new addition to our fleet,” says Wybcke Meyer, CEO of TUI Cruises.
Mein Schiff 5 has been under construction at the shipyard since February 2015, and next month a keel-laying ceremony will be held, marking a significant milestone in the construction. Mein Schiff 5 will be delivered in the summer of 2016. Following this delivery, Mein Schiff 4 will be christened in Kiel on June 5, before setting sail on its maiden voyage to the Baltic countries on June 6, 2015. The new cruise ship, with a gross tonnage of 99,500, will feature a total of 1,253 cabins.
