The construction of Asuka III has officially begun for NYK Cruises
With the symbolic burning start, construction of the new cruise ship for NYK Cruises, a company owned by the major Japanese shipping company NYK, has now begun at MEYER WERFT. The ship, whose name ASUKA III was recently announced by the shipping company, is scheduled for delivery in 2025.
“The order from NYK Cruises in 2021 in the middle of the pandemic was a strong signal for shipbuilding in Papenburg. “We are therefore very pleased to have gained NYK Cruises as a customer and to be able to start the construction of this modern cruise ship,” says Managing Director Thomas Weigend.
The MEYER and NYK Cruises teams are working exceptionally closely together on this special project. A very interesting task for the MEYER team is to get to know Japanese culture and optimize a cruise ship for this market.
Representatives of the Japanese company were guests at the traditional ceremony at the shipyard and, according to Japanese tradition, wished the project good luck in painting so-called Daruma. “Even during the construction of the ship, we are all grateful for the cooperation MEYER has provided so far. We hope to continue this excellent relationship through the successful delivery of ASUKA III and beyond,” said Hiroyuki Endo, President of NYK Cruises.
MEYER WERFT will use numerous tailor-made solutions for the new cruise ship. These include hydrodynamics optimized according to the planned routes, contactless controls and on-board facilities adapted to the needs of Japanese passengers. The ship is powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), one of the cleanest shipping fuels currently available. In addition to reducing CO2 emissions, the emission of nitrogen oxides and fine dust can be almost completely avoided, and sulfur oxides can be completely avoided.
Delivery of the 52,200 GT ship is planned for 2025. With a length of 230 meters and a width of 29.8 meters, it will accommodate 744 passengers.
