Video: Mega-Block Construction at Meyer Werft

Quantum of the Seas under construction in Meyer Werft’s Building Dock II. Image (c) Meyer Werft

Meyer Werft is cranking out the cruise ships right now.

Over the years, the shipyard, located inland on the River Ems in Papenburg, Germany, has built a total of 37 cruise ships since it began building passenger vessels with the construction of the the 42,000 grt Homeric in 1984. The biggest investment in the company’s history came in 2002 when a second building dock and prefabrication hall, known as Building Dock II, was constructed featuring state-of-the-art laser welding plants. The new building dock was later extended by 120 meters in 2008 and in 2012 the shipyard’s laser center was also extend by another hall.

The shipyards most recent achievement came in late September with the River Ems conveyance of Royal Caribbean’s new Quantum of the Seas, the world’s third largest cruise ship, which began construction in February 2013 just 20 months prior. At the same time, Meyer Werft has been constructing a second Quantum-class ship, Anthem of the Seas, in the same building dock. In order to do so, Meyer Werft is use the same prefabricated mega-block construction techniques commonly used by other shipyards, but applying it on a whole other level.

The video below describes the innovative process:

The168,666 ton Quantum of the Seas spans 18 decks and will be able to accommodate 4,180 guests in 2,090 staterooms. The vessel is expected to be delivered in November and will spend its inaugural season sailing out of New York Harbor before departing to her new homeport of Shanghai (Baoshan), China this Spring. The Anthem of the Seas, meanwhile, is expected to debut in Southampton, U.K. in April 2015 sailing Mediterranean itineraries.

Steel was cut on the third Quantum-class ship in September.