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Global Dream conversion for Disney begins under Meyer in Wismar

Work on Global Dream's transformation for Disney Cruise Line began this month at MV Werften Wismar under the Meyer Group.

Frederik Erdmann, German Correspondent

August 14, 2023

3 Min Read
CRUISE Global Dream Disney
The former Global Dream already has the dark livery that Disney showed in a rendering released in November 2022, but the ship is not expected to be completed until at least 2025RENDERING: DISNEY CRUISE LINE

This follows months of uncertainty about the project. Completion is expected in 2025, or possibly 2026 at the latest.

MV Werften administrator Christoph Morgen handed a symbolic key to the yard to Meyer Managing Director Bernard Meyer a week ago, paving the way for the continuation of work on the vessel.

CRUISE MV Werften key to Meyer

MV Werften administrator Christoph Morgen handed a symbolic key to the Wismar shipyard to Bernard Meyer

Capacity is to be reduced, and the use of green methanol facilitated. Disney plans to operate the renamed ship from Singapore.

For many months after Disney confirmed it got Global Dream, little happened, and the vessel was merely maintained at MV Werften with some preparations to resume work. 

In June local trade union representatives and some regional politicians expressed concern about the shipyard situation. It was unclear whether a contract between Meyer and Disney had actually been signed. A member of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern federal state parliament told journalists in mid-June that she didn't know of a contract.

400 workers available

In mid-July, Morgen announced work would soon resume. Meyer Wismar already employed about 280 of its own staff, along with another 100 still engaged through the administrator who were due to transfer to Meyer Wismar. This makes about 400 now available to work on Global Dream.

Wismar's shipyard compound was acquired by Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems in June 2022, but leased back by MV Werften's administrator to allow Global One's completion. With Meyer Wismar at last ready to start, the administrator sublet the yard to Meyer.

Rumors of 2026 completion

In March Disney announced the ship would begin operating from Singapore in 2025 but recent rumors suggest it could take until 2026 to complete the work on the floating vessel. By then, though, Global Dream will have left the covered building dock.

In July the dock gate was opened for a while, and the ship was visible, its hull sporting the dark livery in line with a rendering released by Disney last November. A Meyer Wismar flag on the bow heralded the project's continuation. 

This will be Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's last cruise newbuild.

Once it's been completed, TKMS intends to develop the Wismar yard to manufacture naval vessels, mainly submarines and frigates. The owner hopes for orders from Germany, which has a 100b program to upgrade its armed forces, especially in light of the tense European geopolitical situation sparked by Russia's war in Ukraine.

Exactly how the transformation from merchant shipping into military craft will be carried out remains to be seen. TKMS is expected to take over most of the staff now working on Global Dream. So the cruise project helps to preserve shipbuilding knowledge and competence in the Wismar area, preventing a 'brain drain' that a temporary closure of the shipyard would have caused.

Depending on Global Dream's progress, it is possible the transformation to naval shipbuilding overlaps, with some of the workforce completing the Disney ship while others switch to TKMS projects.

Specifics will be decided later, and the exact procedure also depends on TKMS's order situation by 2025/26. 

About the Author

Frederik Erdmann

German Correspondent

Frederik Erdmann is Seatrade's German cruise correspondent since 2002. Following secondary school graduation he joined the port agency network, Sartori & Berger, on a vocational training program. After subsequent studies of Business Administration, Frederik Erdmann held various positions at Sartori & Berger until 2010. After a period of working with the Flensburg Chamber of Commerce, he was appointed Designated Person Safety/Security, Environment and Quality of the coastal ferry operator, Wyker Dampfschiffs-Reederei. As a maritime trade press correspondent and visiting lecturer of the Flensburg University of Applied Sciences,

Frederik Erdmann concentrates on ferry and cruise ship management, port development as well as safety and security in passenger shipping. He is also a member of the Flensburg Chamber of Commerce's Tourism Committee.

 

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