Keel-laying ceremony at Meyer Werft’s Papenburg yard
At the keel-laying ceremony in Papenburg (Source: Meyer Werft)
The keel of P&O Cruises’ latest newbuilding, the 184,000gt Arvia, was laid at a ceremony in the Papenburg shipyard last week. In a traditional ceremony, the facility’s giant 800-tonne crane lowered a 570-tonne block of the ship’s hull onto coins from Barbados, which will be the cruise vessel’s home port during winter seasons.
The Arvia is a sister ship to the Iona, delivered to the cruise line by Meyer Werft in 2020.
Now, the second vessel will be completed in the world’s largest covered shipbuilding dock prior to delivery at the end of this year. After delivery, the Arvia will embark on its maiden cruise to the Canary Islands and thence to the Caribbean for cruises during the winter season.
