MSC CRUISES AND MEYER WERFT SIGN LANDMARK AGREEMENT FOR SIX NEXT-GENERATION CRUISE VESSELS

– Today, MSC Cruises announced a major new order for four next-generation cruise vessels and two additional options from MEYER WERFT in Papenburg marking the launch of its new “New Frontier” platform - a brand-new class of ships. The order will secure full capacity at the shipyard well into the next decade. 

The announcement was made today at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy in Berlin by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Katherina Reiche and Energy Minister-President Lower Saxony, Olaf Lies, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago and MEYER WERFT’s CEO Dr. Bernd Eikens. 

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With a maximum passenger capacity of 5,400 and approximately 180,000 gross tons, the “New Frontier” ships will be delivered annually starting in 2030. 

This order represents a decisive boost for the regional economy. It secures thousands of jobs in Germany, particularly in Lower Saxony and Papenburg, where MEYER WERFT is a cornerstone employer and sustains work for the shipyard’s extensive supplier network. More than 3,200 people are directly employed at MEYER WERFT, with over 20,000 jobs in the wider region linked to its operations. 

With delivery schedules stretching into the 2030’s, the agreement reinforces Papenburg’s role as a strategic hub for global cruise shipbuilding and ensures continuity for one of Europe’s most advanced maritime manufacturing ecosystems.