The construction project, launched in 1974, was one of Finland’s most significant industrial investments of its time. On 22 September 1976, President of the Republic Urho Kekkonen officially inaugurated the new shipyard, then operated by Wärtsilä Oy.
“We are marking the actual 50th anniversary by getting on with our work and looking firmly towards the future,” says Casimir Lindholm, CEO of Meyer Turku Oy.
“Turku Shipyard’s strength has always been its ability to renew itself. Our ongoing €200 million investment programme will strengthen our competitiveness, improve productivity and lay the foundations for success in the decades ahead. At the same time, we are investing in a safer, more efficient and more pleasant working environment for everyone at the shipyard. We want to ensure that the world’s most advanced vessels will continue to be built in Turku in the future.”
The shipyard was originally designed to accommodate tanker construction. At the time, two vessels could be built side by side in the 80-metre-wide building dock. Today, a single Icon-class cruise ship, representing some of the most advanced cruise ship technology in the world, almost fills the entire 365-metre-long building dock.
Over the past five decades, Turku Shipyard has grown into a driving force in the Finnish maritime industry and one of the world’s leading builders of cruise ships. With more than 2,300 employees at Meyer Turku and an extensive partner network, the shipyard is a major employer and export industry operator. Its impact extends across Finland and into international markets.
Source and Photos: Meyer Turku Oy
