Meyer Werft begins building NYK Cruises' Asuka III

The LNG-powered ship measures 52,200gt with a length of 230 meters/755 feet and a beam of 29.8 meters/98 feet. Asuka III has capacity for 744 passengers.

'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,' Managing Director Thomas Weigend said.

Close cooperation

The Meyer and NYK Cruises teams are working closely together on this special project so the Meyer team can get to know Japanese culture and optimize a cruise ship for this market.

At the steel-cutting, a Japanese tradition, a Daruma painting, was included for good luck.

'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, [resident of NYK Cruises.

Tailor-made solutions

Tailor-made solutions for Asuka III include hydrodynamics optimized according to the planned routes, contactless controls and on-board facilities adapted to the needs of Japanese passengers.