The keel laying of the second 208,000 GT Dream Cruises ship of the Global Class took place today at MV WERFTEN in Rostock. This is where the midship ship is made. The transfer of the passenger ship section for the first ship of the Global Class, the "Global Dream" (see also CruiseMapper), from Rostock to the covered dock to Wismar was only two weeks ago. With a length of 235 meters and a height of 20 decks it was the largest part of the vessel ever towed.
Guests of the state and federal government, managing directors and media representatives from Germany and Asia, among them Minister of Economic Affairs Harry Glawe, Genting Hong Kong Chairman and CEO Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, Deputy Managing Director Hui Lim, Group President Colin Au, Genting Cruise Lines President Kent Zhu, Dream Cruises President Michael Goh and MV-WERFTEN CEO Peter Fetten, joined the keel laying of Global 2. All participants traditionally placed lucky coins on the Pallung before the 95 meter high gantry crane lowered the 470 ton section.
"We are here for the keel laying of the second ship of the Global Class," said Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay. "But more importantly, we start designing and building a new series of ships, the Universal Class. The first ship will be delivered in late 2022. "
Cruises are a niche market that accounts for 2.5% of the travel industry and are marketed as a popular alternative to rural holidays. The Universal Class ships are designed, built and operated to make a cruise like a vacation ashore. The 88,000-gross-sized ships can accommodate 2,000 passengers and offer all the amenities of larger cruise ships, without the tightness on board conventional 5,000plus passenger ships. Genting will operate the Universal Class ships, among others, for hotel brands that want to enter the cruise industry and have not had the opportunity to do so due to limited construction capacity.
"Large hotel brands are always mindful of their brand image, so the Universal Class ships are perfect because they guarantee quality" Made in Germany ". They will meet the highest safety and environmental standards, including LNG propulsion, "said Peter Fetten, Managing Director of MV WERFTEN. "After delivery of the two Global Class ships, the largest ships ever built in Germany, we will bring our experience in the construction of universal ships. MV WERFTEN will be fully employed by 2024. "
Economics Minister Harry Glawe said: "The keel laying is another milestone in MV WERFTEN's ambitious cruise shipbuilding program. The employees master the complex challenges and develop successfully; They secure thousands of jobs, increase added value and contribute to economic stability in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. "
About" Global Dream "
The 208,000-gross ship with a length of 342 meters and over 46 meters in width is being built in divided construction at the MV-WERFTEN locations in Rostock, Wismar and Stralsund. The 220 meter long midship is made in Rostock. It was shipped to Wismar in December 2019, where the bow and stern and superstructures are mounted. There, the 2,500 passenger cabins produced by MV WERFTEN Fertigmodule GmbH will be installed and public areas completed. In total, more than 600 companies are involved in the construction of the "Global Dream".
The ships of the Global Class are designed for the rapidly growing Asian market. They are operated by the shipping company Dream Cruises, which also belongs to the Genting family and offers worldwide cruises. Amenities include a theme park, including a virtual reality rollercoaster, a multiplex cinema, an Asian spa complementing a European spa, plenty of shopping, restaurants and fast food outlets. With 2,500 cabins, the ships can accommodate up to 5,000 passengers with double occupancy, and even up to 9,500 passengers during holiday periods in Asia.
About Dream Cruises
Dream Cruises is the shipping company founded 3 years ago for Asian markets, where Genting Hong Kong brings its 26-year global experience in the cruise industry. Dream Cruises offers its customers thrilling cruises that are at the heart of Asian yet internationally inspired.
The "Genting Dream", the first ship of the new fleet, went on maiden voyage in November 2016. In November 2017, the sister ship "World Dream" followed. Since then, these ships offer guests the best service and comfort in the region. MV WERFTEN is working on two new Global Class ships, which will soon be part of the fleet.
When accommodating the travelers convince both the size and the choice of accommodation. Over 70 percent of the cabins have private balconies and more than 100 interconnected cabins leave nothing to be desired by families and groups. Awarded for its European-style butler service and special all-inclusive guest privileges, The Palace, a luxurious ship on board, will pamper travelers in spacious suites and an aura of exclusivity.
With the best Asian and international cuisine, outstanding service, mesmerizing entertainment and surprising experiences, Dream Cruises wants to set entirely new standards for cruising travel.
Since its inception, Dream Cruises has won multiple awards, including the Berlitz Cruising and Cruise Guide 2018, which ranked sixth in the Large Resorts category. As part of the Travel Weekly Asia Readers' Choice Awards 2017, the "Genting Dream" was voted "Best New Ship", and also in the category "Best Cruise Company - Entertainment" Dream Cruises managed to climb the top.
All ships of Dream Cruises are "Made in Germany". Germany is known for producing the best quality products in the world, including cruise ships.
About MV THROW
MV WERFTEN consists of three shipyards in Wismar, Rostock and Stralsund in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV), has 2,600 employees and some of the largest docks and covered manufacturing facilities in Europe. The shipyards have an excellent transport and logistics infrastructure and have direct access to the Baltic Sea. Further investments in a laser thin-plate welding line, cabin construction, state-of-the-art software and other automation have been made to make MV WERFTEN one of the most efficient cruise ship builders in the world.
In its 70-year history, the three shipyards have designed, produced and equipped around 2,500 new ships, including cruise ships, river cruise ships and passenger ferries. As evidence of the quality and safety of its workmanship, the oldest cruise ship still in service, the "Marco Polo", was built 53 years ago by MV WERFTEN (most cruise ships have a maximum life of 40 years). MV WERFTEN, headquartered in Wismar, invests continuously in innovations and new technologies as well as employee training to ensure outstanding quality "Made in MV".
Source: MV WERFTEN