Meyer Werft in Papenburg

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Meyer Werft in Papenburg

MEYER WERFT builds cruise ships at its site in Papenburg on the River Ems. The shipyard’s history stretches back further than its current focus on large passenger ships: smaller sailing vessels made of wood were initially built in Papenburg, followed later by a range of specialist ships. To understand the site, it is important to consider both the company’s long history and its present-day role as a specific location for building cruise ships.

From wooden ships to cruise ships

The company’s history identifies Willm Rolf Meyer as its founder and reports that more than 60 wooden sailing ships were built under his leadership. Later, under Joseph Lambert Meyer, the shipyard focused on specialist vessels able to navigate narrow waterways, including pilot boats, tugs and fireboats. This development mattered for Papenburg because the shipyard tailored its products to the conditions of its location rather than focusing exclusively on ever-larger cargo ships.

Other milestones included the company’s first cargo ship, the over-70-metre-long Durazzo, launched in 1922, and its first gas tanker in 1960. According to the company, the first ship measuring more than 100 metres left the shipyard in 1963. Other vessels followed, including ro-ro ships, car and passenger ferries, and livestock carriers. The first new cruise ship built there was the Homeric, delivered on 6 May 1986. Since then, the Papenburg shipyard has developed into a specialist in large cruise ships; as of October 2026, the company’s website listed a total of 61 cruise ships built there.

Papenburg as a specific building site

The shipbuilding history illustrates Papenburg’s role as a specific construction site: the Homeric was still built in the open air and launched sideways in 1985. The next newbuild, the Crown Odyssey, was constructed in a covered building dock. In 2001, the Norwegian Star became the first ship to come from the second building dock. These examples show how the site expanded its production capacity to build ever-larger passenger ships. On their subsequent journey to the North Sea, newbuilds travel along the Ems, and the weather plays a role.

The delivery list also illustrates the range of orders handled in Papenburg. The Radiance class includes the Radiance of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas, built between 2001 and 2004. For Norwegian Cruise Line, ships included the Norwegian Star (2001) and Norwegian Dawn (2002). The AIDA fleet is also represented by the AIDAdiva (2007), AIDAbella (2008), AIDAluna (2009), AIDAblu (2010) and AIDAsol (2011).

A more recent example is the Carnival Jubilee: MEYER WERFT handed the ship over to Carnival Cruise Line in Bremerhaven on 4 December 2023. The shipyard described it as the first ship built in Papenburg for this cruise line. The site’s role can thus be traced through both long-running series and individual projects for new customers.

Order outlook, with dates

A joint statement from MEYER WERFT and MSC Cruises dated 24 June 2026 described advanced discussions about four cruise ships in a new class called “New Frontier” and two options. At the time, the partners said contract negotiations were still ongoing and that they would provide an update once an agreement had been reached. In the event of a contract, the statement projected annual deliveries starting in 2030, with each ship able to accommodate up to 5,400 passengers and measuring around 180,000 gross register tons (GRT). These were planning figures contingent on a contract that had not yet been concluded, not deliveries that had already taken place.