Disney to complete and transform former Global Dream

Written by Nick Blenkey
Disney Cruise Line ship

The ship will be among the first cruise ships to be powered by green methanol

The giant cruise ship left partially completed in the wake of the collapse of Genting Hong Kong has been acquired by Disney Cruise Line. The ship, formerly known as Global Dream, will be completed at the MV Werften shipyard in Wismar, Germany, under the management of Meyer Werft, the Papenburg-based company that built the Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish.

Disney Cruise Line says the ship will be based outside of the United States and that it expects the passenger capacity to be approximately 6,000 with around 2,300 crewmembers.

“Our cruise ships give us the unique opportunity to bring Disney magic to fans no matter where they are, and the addition of this ship will make a Disney Cruise Line vacation accessible to more families than ever before,” said Josh D’Amaro, chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.

While exterior changes will see the ship carry the iconic, Mickey Mouse-inspired colors of the fleet, complete with signature red funnels, less visible changes will see the 208,000-gross-ton ship become among the first in the cruise industry to be fueled by green methanol.

Meyer Group has set up a new operation, Meyer Wismar, to handle the project.

“When Disney approached us to jointly complete the ship, we saw great opportunities,” ” says Thomas Weigend, managing director of Meyer Werft and Meyer Wismar. Meyer stands for innovation, so we are especially happy to deliver a ship that will be among the first in the industry to be powered by methanol. That will require an elaborated transformation of the ship’s engines, additional tanks and many more measures that will make the ship one of the most future-proof. The ship can cruise climate neutral as soon as green methanol is available. In addition, the waste management onboard will be updated according to the newest technology available.”

Disney says “the ship’s previous owner filed for bankruptcy before completing the vessel, enabling Disney Cruise Line to secure it at a favorable price.”

ANOTHER SUCCESS FOR CHRISTOPH MORGEN

The acquisition marks another success for the insolvency administrator of the MV Werften Group, Dr Christoph Morgen, a partner in law-firm Brinkmann & Partner

“Today is a very good day for the shipbuilders in the federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and for the maritime supply industry in Northern Germany,” said Dr. Morgen. “Several hundred current and previous employees of MV Werften, colleagues from Meyer Group and numerous suppliers will complete the impressive shipbuilding project in Wismar over the next two years so that it can set sail for Disney Cruise Line as a sustainable family cruise vessel in the future. As part of the design changes, the buyer is placing a special emphasis on sustainability and will therefore, for example, convert the ship to an environmentally-friendly methanol propulsion system. I am very pleased about this contract as it confirms the excellent work that has been done so far by the MV Werften staff. At the same time, it underlines the significance in shipbuilding and the exceptional know-how Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as a region owns.”

The task now, says Brinkmann & Partner, is to prepare for the restart of work at the Wismar shipyard. According to current plans, Meyer Werft will contribute its extensive expertise in the construction of complex and innovative cruise vessels. It will lead the work to be carried out and completed by previous and current MV Werften employees as well as colleagues from Meyer Group on the ship in Wismar. The vessel’s construction period is estimated to be approximately two years.

Dr Morgen will actively support the project at the Wismar shipyard by leasing the yard to Meyer Group. In addition, the approximately 100 MV Werften colleagues still employed during the insolvency will contribute to the vessel’s completion, while Maritime Engineering GmbH, a company founded during the insolvency and now with a staff of 100, is also providing services for the project.

How long will the transformation take? Disney Cruise Line expects the ship to sail in 2025.

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