Meyer lays keel for NYK cruise ship
At the keel-laying ceremony in Papenburg
(Source: Meyer Werft)
The keel-laying ceremony for NYK Cruises’ new vessel, Asuka III, has been laid at Meyer Werft in Papenburg. The 740-passenger ship, just over 230m long and almost 30m wide, will be powered by LNG with a design specially tailored to the Japanese market.
The ceremony involved the lowering of the first steel block in building dock 1 in Hall 5 at the shipyard. The block weighed 345 tonnes and was 12.8m wide, 24.8m long, and 7.4m high.
The shipyard’s managing director, Jan Meyer, commented: “With today's keel laying, we are celebrating the next important milestone in the construction of the Asuka III. All of us at Meyer are proud to be building this special cruise ship for the Japanese market. The speciality of designing the ship to meet the needs and requirements of Japanese passengers is unique. We are working very closely and passionately with the NYK Cruises team.”
Hiroyuki Endo, NYK Cruises president, said: “I am delighted to announce the successful completion of the keel laying ceremony. I appreciate the continued collaboration from the Meyer Werft shipyard team, and I feel confident that with their ongoing support, we will successfully welcome the launch of Asuka III in 2025.”
The 52,000gt vessel, the first passenger ship to be built under the supervision of the Japanese flag state for about 30 years, will have various features customised for Japanese clientele. These will include the spa areas, for example, which will be designed to comply with the wishes and customs of the ship’s Japanese passengers.
Meanwhile, LNG propulsion will eliminate SOx emissions completely. NOx and particulate matter will be almost completely avoided, and CO2 emissions will be significantly reduced.
