Huge Block Laid as Cruise Ship Reaches Construction Milestone

TUI Cruises celebrates a significant milestone in its ongoing fleet expansion with the keel-laying of Mein Schiff 7 at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland. 

The ceremony, which follows old shipping traditions, marks the completion of a quarter of the ship’s construction. Set to join the fleet in 2024, Mein Schiff 7 is the latest addition to the TUI Cruises fleet. The company launched two ships in 2018 and 2019 and is set to launch one more ship in 2024 and another in 2026.

Keel-laying Ceremony For Mein Schiff 7 at Shipyard

Following old shipping traditions, coins were symbolically placed in Mein Schiff 7‘s central block during the traditional keel-laying ceremony at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. The milestone marks an important step in constructing a ship, as it means the actual building can begin.

“We are very happy that the first block of the ship could be laid as planned, and we are looking forward to the further milestones that lie ahead,” said Tim Meyer of Meyer Werft.

During the building process, a total of 85 steel blocks will be joined and welded together. Representatives from TUI Cruises and Meyer Turku were present to celebrate the construction milestone for the Mein Schiff fleet’s newbuild. 

TUI Cruises CEO Wybcke Meier said: “With the keel laying of Mein Schiff 7, we are continuing the expansion of our feel-good fleet and maintaining our position with the most modern fleet on the German market.”

Mein Schiff 7 is a sister ship to Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2, which entered service in 2018 and 2019. By 2026, TUI Cruises plans to put two more new ships into service in addition to Mein Schiff 7, doubling the capacity of the Mein Schiff fleet to almost 27,000 beds. Mein Schiff 8 is also scheduled to begin operations in 2024, and Mein Schiff 9 will enter service in 2026.

Drive for Sustainability

Mein Schiff 7 will run on lower-emission marine diesel and feature catalytic converters that provide a nitrogen oxide reduction of approximately 75%, and she will have a shore power connection. The ship is also being built to run on green methanol, making its propulsion nearly CO2-neutral. 

“The decision to equip Mein Schiff 7 for a methanol drive is an important investment in the future for us and an important contribution to climate-neutral cruising,” Meier said.

Additionally, the vessel will have a system to shred organic waste through thermal treatment, making waste processing more efficient. 

The company’s ambitious climate plan was recently validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTI) recently validated the company’s ambitious climate plan.

Launched in 2015, this initiative aims to help companies set science-based greenhouse gas emission reduction targets that are in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. The ambitious goals will also help Mein Schiff achieve the targets the entire cruise industry set out to become carbon neutral by 2050.

Facts and Figures of Mein Schiff 7

Mein Schiff 7‘s construction began on June 14, 2022, and she will enter service in June 2024. The ship is 315.7 meters long and 111,500 gross tons, with 15 decks and 1,461 cabins to accommodate 2,894 guests at double occupancy.

The maiden voyage of Mein Schiff 7 is scheduled for June 23, 2024, departing from Kiel, Germany. The 14-night cruise will visit various ports in Norway, including Stavanger, Nordfjordeid, Molde, Honningsvag, Trondheim, and Alesund. Mein Schiff 7 will even visit the North Pole with a call at Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen before returning to Kiel on July 7, 2024.

TUI Cruises, a joint partnership between the Royal Caribbean Group and the TUI Group, owns and operates the Mein Schiff cruise ships. The cruise line offers a German-language, all-inclusive concept covering almost all food and beverages on board. Tips and several bars, lounges, and restaurants are also included in the price.