€3.5 billion German order takes shape

The sum was revealed in Wismar by Genting officials when they provided more details of the ten-ship order. The company said earlier it would be placing the orders following its acquisition of four major German yards and the creation of the Lloyd Werft Group.

Genting said two of the newbuildings would be 201,000gt mega cruise ships of a new Global Class, purpose-built for thee Chinese market and for delivery to its subsidiary Star Cruises in 2019 and 2020. Genting said more Global Class ships will follow.

The other eight cruise ships will be for Genting subsidiary Crystal Cruises and include inland cruise ships and also the 25,000gt Polar expedition cruise yacht Crystal Endeavor.

It was made clear earlier that the work would be spread around the four Lloyd Werft Group yards in Bremerhaven, Wismar, Stralsund and Warnemuende.

Lloyd Werft Group Managing Director Rüdiger Pallentin told this correspondent on Thursday that four of six inland cruise ships for Crystal Cruises were being outfitted and completed at Lloyd Werft for delivery as early as next year.

He said steelwork and hulls for those ships had been sub-contracted to Rönner Group’s BVT yards in Bremen and Bremerhaven. He said Rönner yards in Rosslau, Boizenburg and Tangermünde had also been discussed in connection with hull construction but had been rejected.

Pallentin said either Wismar or Stralsund, or both, would build the other two inland cruise ships for Crystal – completely, including steelwork and interiors.

He said the new group was able to tap into Europe’s “complex cruise ship subcontractor network” much of it in Germany. “And we can build cruise ships without major uncertainties in delivery and pricing”, he added.

The new group has also said that long-term it will build cruise ships for other owners as well as Genting and has reported projects in hand as well as conversion work for European shipowners.