The MSC Cruises company of the Mediterranean Shipping group Company has signed with the German shipyard Meyer Werft a letter of intent for the construction of four cruise ships of the new "New Frontier" class with options for two more units of the same type. The value of the investment for the construction of the six ships is expected up to 10 billion euros. The agreement was made announced today in Berlin in the presence of the German Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy, Katherina Reiche, as well as the President executive of MSC Cruises, Pierfrancesco Vago, and the director Meyer Werft's delegate, Bernd Eikens.

The ships of the new class will have a gross tonnage of about 180 thousand tons and a maximum capacity of 5,400 passengers. The units will be built in the shipyard of Papenburg, with works that will allow the plant to operate until 2035, and will be taken delivery from 2030.

"The award of the contract by MSC Cruises - highlighted Minister Reiche - represents a decisive turning point for Meyer Werft in economically difficult times and in which Leadership, decisiveness and results-oriented actions are essential". Last year, the German Federal Government and the Land of Lower Saxony have jointly acquired a joint majority stake in Meyer Werft and granted a credit line for a total of 2.6 billion euros euro for the purpose of its restructuring and to allow the Group shipwrecker to overcome the difficult moment resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic and rising commodity prices caused by the Russia-Ukraine war ( of 22 and 22 August 2024).