The conversion work on the Global Dream for Disney Cruise Line began this month at the Meyer Group's MV Werften Wismar. Completion is scheduled for 2025, or possibly 2026.
A week ago , MV Werften's administrator, Christoph Morgen , presented a symbolic key to the shipyard to Meyer's CEO, Bernard Meyer, thus paving the way for the continuation of work on the vessel.
Disney plans to operate the renamed ship from Singapore. For many months after Disney confirmed its acquisition of the Global Dream, the ship was simply kept in storage at the MV Werften with some preparations underway to resume work.
Christoph Morgen announced in July that construction would soon resume. Meyer Wismar already employed around 280 of its own workers, and another 100, hired through the project manager, were to be transferred to Meyer Wismar. This brings the total number of employees available to work on the Global Dream.
In March, Disney announced that the ship would begin operating from Singapore in 2025, but it's possible that construction could take until 2026. By then, the Global Dream will have left the covered construction dock.
In July, the dock door opened briefly, revealing the ship, its hull consistent with a rendering released by Disney last November. A Meyer Wismar flag on the bow signaled the continuation of the project.
Once completed, TKMS intends to develop the Wismar shipyard to build warships, primarily submarines and frigates. The owner anticipates orders from Germany, which has a €100 billion program to modernize its armed forces, especially in light of the tense European situation caused by Russia's war in Ukraine.
It remains to be seen exactly how the conversion from merchant ship to military vessel will be carried out. TKMS is expected to take on most of the personnel currently working on the Global Dream. Thus, the cruise ship project helps preserve shipbuilding expertise and know-how in the Wismar area, preventing the "brain drain" that would have resulted from a temporary closure of the shipyard.
Depending on the progress of the Global Dream, the transition to shipbuilding may overlap, with some of the staff completing the Disney ship while others move on to TKMS projects.
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