MV Werften Rolls-out New Production Facility

Hong Kong–German shipbuilding company MV Werften put into operation the laser-hybrid welding line in its new hall 11 for producing panels measuring up to 25 x 16 meters for the Global Class cruise ships.

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Economics Minister Harry Glawe, representatives of Genting Hong Kong, MV Werften , the automation provider Pemamek as well as other project partners were present in the new Hall 11 when the plant produced its first weld seam.

“The new plant enables us to make a significant increase in the capacity of our steel prefabrication for the Global cruise ships in Rostock and take a further, important step towards Industry 4.0. It is one of the most innovative laser-hybrid panel lines in Europe and also unique, as it is specially tailored to our processes and the Global Class,” explained Peter Fetten, CEO of MV Werften.

The semi-automatic, highly efficient plant is the heart of the 400-meter long hall area 11.1 and the entire steel prefabrication at the yard. Panels measuring up to 25 x 16 meters will be produced with it. The panel line with all integrated equipment is unique in Germany.

Its features include a one-sided butt welding station with laser-hybrid welding head and additional MAG tandem welding heads with integrated milling, automated profile assembling with two-sided fillet welding of profiles using the laser-hybrid process and programmable robot portals. The highly automated thin panel welding line optimally fits the digitalisation and logistics concept of MV Werften.

Pemamek’s CEO Jaakko Heikonen stated: “It is a great honour to be one of the main production solution providers for MV Werften and part of the company’s success story. Pemamek’s innovative panel line is unique, as we customized it for MV Werften. Its technology is perfectly tailored to meet the production requirements for the Global Class cruise vessels and will provide an important basis for the shipyards’ future growth. During the entire project our collaboration has been great, and we look forward to continuing it in future.”

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Economics Minister Harry Glawe commented: “The acquisition of the shipyards by Genting Hong Kong Limited and their development into specialists for cruise ship construction has given the shipbuilding and indeed entire maritime industry of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania a completely new perspective.

Order, capacity utilization and employment levels are continuing to develop positively. The state-of-the-art and innovative panel production line will significantly improve production operations, as well as further sharpening the company’s edge in the fiercely competitive shipbuilding market. Today is another good day for shipbuilding in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.”

The German Federal State of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the German Federal Government granted six million Euros in support of innovation for the technologically advanced production plant.

Several regional companies have contributed to the value added of the project. The prestigious Fraunhofer Institute in Rostock carried out the feasibility study on optimized cycle times, while a Schwerin-based firm supplied the system control for coordinating the cranes and welding portals.

In addition to the panel production in the hall area 11.1, sections are to be produced and fitted out in the area 11.2. Hall 11.3 for profile manufacturing is to be completed in May 2019. The three halls will provide a total of 25 workstations. MV Werften is investing over 100 million Euros in the new shipbuilding hall complex, where up to 150 employees per shift will work in the medium term.