Disney Cruise Line’s newest vessel, Disney Treasure, has successfully completed its transfer from Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany to Eemshaven, Netherlands. The milestone marks a significant step towards the ship’s anticipated delivery later this year.
“The transfer on the Ems went very well and an important milestone was reached,” said Meyer Werft.
The journey, known as the conveyance, is a unique 20-mile (32 km) trip down the River Ems from the inland Meyer Werft shipyard to Eemshaven and, subsequently, open water. The intricate process, which can take up to 24 hours, involves navigating the ship stern-first through narrow locks and past bridges with minimal clearance, showcasing the engineering precision required.
Disney Treasure, which will now prepare for sea trials, is part of an ambitious expansion plan for Disney Cruise Line, which currently operates five ships. The vessel is the first of eight newbuild cruise ships on order from Meyer Werft with deliveries scheduled through 2031. The Treasure and its sister ship, Disney Destiny, are slated for delivery in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
The fleet expansion builds on a long-standing partnership between Disney and Meyer Werft, which began with the delivery of Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy in 2010 and 2012. The relationship reached a new milestone in 2022 with the delivery of Disney Wish, the cruise line’s first new ship in a decade and its first to utilize lower-emissions dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Watch Disney Treasure Conveyance:
The successful conveyance of the Disney Treasure comes as the German government and Lower Saxony have reached a deal to rescue Meyer Weft in a transaction that involves acquiring 80% of shares and investing 400 million euros, with additional guarantees of 2 billion euros.
Privately-owned Meyer Werft, one of the world’s largest builders of cruise ships and a cornerstone of the German shipbuilding industry for over 225 years, has faced financial challenges as result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, and rising commodity prices. Despite these recent challenges, Meyer Werft, has secured 11 billion euros in orders through 2031.
The refinancing aims to protect over 3,000 direct jobs and an estimated 20,000 related jobs in Germany. The government’s involvement is intended to be temporary, with plans to return Meyer Werft to private ownership.
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