Meyer Werft’s new cruise ship began its maiden voyage without incident. On board the ship there are eight restaurants, several bars and lounges, a casino and a fitness center. There is room for 728 passengers.
The 240 meter long and 30 meter wide “Silver Ray” started early on Sunday morning around 2:30 am, an hour earlier than planned, with the approximately 40 kilometer long Ems Passage from Papenburg to the North Sea.
“Everything is going well and according to plan. Given the good conditions, we are well on time,” Peter Hackmann, spokesperson for Meyer Werft, said on Sunday.
Countless spectators
Around noon the ship passed the Ems barrage and then reached the Dutch port of Eemshaven. Despite subzero temperatures early in the morning, the ship transfer once again attracted many spectators along the Ems.
“The nice thing about the ship is that it looks like a ship and not a skyscraper,” said an older couple from Leer. Marco, a passionate ship watcher from Otterndorf, said he “left extra early so as not to miss the ship, because it is a beautiful ship.”
Drove backwards
Because of the better maneuverability, the “Silver Ray” was driven backwards across the Ems towards the North Sea and then turned around. Two tugboats supported the maneuver. The command lay with the Emden Pilots’ Brotherhood. The Ems pilots have been responsible for the Eems transfers of cruise ships from Meyer Werft for years. The transfer was previously practiced in the simulator.
After technical and nautical tests in the North Sea, “the ship then continues under its own power towards the Eemshaven,” according to Meyer spokesperson Hackmann.
The ship left the shipbuilding hall at the end of February. The sister ship, the ‘Silver Nova’, was delivered to the Silversea Cruises shipping company last summer. It has a hybrid propulsion system that uses liquefied natural gas (LNG), fuel cells and batteries. This should enable emission-free operations in the port. On board the ship there are eight restaurants, several bars and lounges, a casino and a fitness center. There is room for 728 passengers.
Doldrum due to corona pandemic
Due to the halt in orders due to the corona pandemic, Meyer Werft has had to extend its orders in consultation with the shipping companies. Before Easter, Meyer Werft announced a new order from shipping company Carnival Cruise Line. There was another one in February.
The order portfolio of the traditional company from Emsland now includes six cruise ships, a research vessel and the steel structure for four offshore converter platforms. The company employs approximately 3,000 shipyard workers and secures orders for numerous suppliers and service providers in the region. According to a report, the company must repay a loan of 550 million euros by November 2024.
Source: Krone
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