Shipyards Directory

MEYER WERFT GmbH

cruise shipyard Papenburg, Germany

MEYER WERFT GmbH is a shipbuilder in Papenburg, Germany, specialising in large, modern cruise ships for international cruise lines. Founded in 1795 by Willm Rolf Meyer, the yard has delivered 61 cruise ships and employs around 3,200 people, including some 173 apprentices; since 2024 roughly 80 percent of the company is held by the German federal government and the state of Lower Saxony, with the Meyer family retaining just under 20 percent. Ships are built in two covered building docks using a block construction method, supported by digital design tools and virtual reality, and the yard delivered the world's first LNG-powered cruise ship in 2018. The group also includes NEPTUN WERFT in Rostock, which builds floating engine room modules, and completed vessels are transferred down the River Ems to the North Sea.

MEYER WERFT GmbH

MEYER WERFT is one of the world's largest and most modern shipyards, building cruise ships for international cruise lines at its compact yard in Papenburg, Lower Saxony. The company traces its roots to 1795, when Willm Rolf Meyer founded the yard, and remained in family ownership until 2024; today around 80 percent is held by the German federal government and the state of Lower Saxony, with the Meyer family holding just under 20 percent and a seat on the supervisory board. To date 61 cruise ships have left the yard, with further vessels under construction. The workforce numbers about 3,200, with an average tenure of some 16 years, and the group employs more than 1,000 engineers, designers and architects.

Services

  • Design and newbuilding of large, custom cruise ships to owners' specifications
  • LNG propulsion systems, including the world's first LNG-powered cruise ship (delivered 2018)
  • Engineering and virtual design, using 3D virtual reality in planning and production
  • Block construction with pre-outfitted modules (up to 100 blocks per ship)
  • Supplier management via SAP ARIBA, with published delivery guidelines, Code of Conduct and General Supplier/Contractor Requirements
  • Vocational training: 12 apprenticeship trades and dual study programmes, with over 200 young people in training

Facilities

  • Two covered building docks; ships float out when the dock is flooded rather than by traditional launch
  • Large production and dock halls with modern fabrication plant and IT infrastructure
  • Visitor centre operated with Papenburg Marketing GmbH, offering daily tours
  • Group companies include NEPTUN WERFT in Rostock, which builds floating engine room modules with LNG tanks and delivers them via the Kiel Canal

Vessel Types

  • Large LNG-fuelled cruise ships and ultra-luxury cruise vessels
  • Named deliveries include Disney Destiny, Disney Treasure, Disney Wish, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy (Disney Cruise Line), Silver Nova and Silver Ray (Silversea Cruises), ASUKA III for NYK Cruises, Carnival Jubilee (Carnival Cruise Line), Arvia and Iona (P&O Cruises), AIDAcosma and AIDAnova (AIDA Cruises), and Odyssey of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
  • Ships range up to around 345 m in length and over 6,600 passengers

Location

  • Industriegebiet Süd, 26871 Papenburg, Emsland, north-west Lower Saxony, Germany
  • Completed ships are transferred stern-first down the River Ems to the North Sea, subject to weather, wind and tides