Aker Finnyards, which has been created out of two shipbuilding companies, will be a strong player on the global cruise liner and car ferry markets. The new company, which will start officially at the turn of the year, will construct the world's biggest cruise liners.

The international shipbuilding company Aker Yards ASA announced the amalgamation of the shipyards that it owns, Kvaerner Masa-Yards Oy and Aker Finnyards Oy, in September. The operative organization of the new company, which is called Aker Finnyards, will come into force on 1 January 2005.

The Finish Kvaerner-Masa Yards Oy specializes in cruise liners and passenger ferries, and Aker Finnyards in car ferries. During the past 25 years more than 25 per cent of all the world's cruise liners have come from Kvaerner Masa Yards' shipyards.

Considerable synergistic benefits will be achieved by amalgamating the companies, which specialize in cruise liners and car ferries. "Amalgamating the Finnish shipyards will strengthen our competitive position on the worldwide cruise liner and car ferry markets. Now we can focus on developing the products and services for our customers," say Yrjö Julin, the President and CEO, who is in charge of the amalgamation project.

World's biggest cruise liners

In September Royal Caribbean International Ltd ordered a second Ultra Voyager, the biggest cruise liner in the world. The order, which is worth 570 to 580 million euros, is also the biggest cruise liner transaction in the world this year.

The first Ultra Voyager, production of which has already started this year, will be handed over in May 2006. The second Ultra Voyager will be handed over in the spring of 2007.

The Ultra Voyagers are 15 per cent bigger in space and passenger capacity than the earlier ships in the Voyager class. They are 339 metres in length, 38.6 metres in width and 18 decks in height. The gross tonnage is about 160,000 i.e. roughly 6 per cent more than the corresponding figure for the biggest cruise liner at this moment. The ships will carry 3,600 passengers and a crew of 1,400.

In October the Estonian Tallink shipping company ordered a cruise liner from Aker and the Swedish B & N Nordsjöfrakt three container ships. Both deals are worth about EUR 150 million.

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The Masa-Yards cruise liners offer passengers space and the experiences of a lifetime.