STX Europe delivers worlds largest cruise ship

STX Europe’s Turku shipyard has delivered the world’s largest and most innovative cruise vessel to the U.S. cruise line Royal Caribbean International.

The ‘Oasis of the Seas’ marks a significant step forward in the development of cruise vessels and opens totally new prospects for cruise business. The gigantic size of the ship provides opportunities for a variety of novel functions. Bold design approach has generated new and exciting innovations with help of which the vessel can offer endless amounts of new things to see and do for passengers of all ages.

The ‘Oasis of the Seas’ and its sister ship, the ‘Allure of the Seas’, scheduled for delivery from the Turku shipyard in November 2010, can be called the most powerful and sophisticated vessels in the world for a good reason. These state-of-the-art floating vacation destinations are the result of a long product development cooperation between the cruise line, the shipyard and the maritime cluster that has lasted more than forty years.

The impact of the Oasis project on the employment rate in the whole Southwest Finland region has been significant. It has been calculated that, combined, the Oasis of the Seas and the Allure of the Seas projects provide the shipyard and the maritime cluster with 12,000 man-years of labour.

The 225,000 gt newbuilding is 361 metres long and 66 metres wide at its widest point and has a height of 72 metres above sea level. The vessel has 16 passenger decks and 2,704 staterooms and can accommodate up to 6,360 passengers and 2,100 crew members.

Oasis of the Seas is powered by a total of six Wärtsilä 46 engines, three 12-cylinder and three 16-cylinder engines, generating more than 96 MW. The vessel is also equipped with four 5.5 MW Wärtsilä bow thrusters, which are among the largest in the world, and she has a service speed of 22.6 knots.

The Oasis of the Seas will cruise in the Caribbean from its home port Fort Lauderdale in Florida.