Page 59: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 2013)

www.marinelink.com 59ships built, the percentage built for ex-port is 76%; when looking solely at ton-nage built, 83% was built for export. The most important buyer was the United States for luxury cruise vessels. Leaving out megayachts, which mainly operate under the ß ags of the Cayman and the Marshall Islands, all other new buildings have been destined for European buyers. Meyer Shipyard, together with their sister company Neptun Shipyard in Rostock-Warnemünde, again proved its exceptional position within German shipbuilding circles, regarding the con-struction of both types of ships and in terms of absolute tonnage delivered. The Papenburg-based shipbuilders supplied in 2012 the Disney Fantasy, AIDAmar and Celebrity Reß ection, which was the biggest German newbuild of the year. In addition, there was a keel laying for an LNG tanker at the Warnow facility, signiÞ cant as it was the Þ rst in 40 years in Germany. Also there were seven river cruise ships, which also under- line a production record of the Neptun Shipyard. With a total of 340,220 BRZ, Meyer Group totals 72% at the Ger- man shipbuilding total. The company also received what is arguably the most spectacular order of the year ? a 163,000 BRZ vessel for the Norwegian Cruise Line, with an option of a sistership. This new build will be the biggest cruise ship ever produced in Germany once it is de-livered in 2015. Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft, FSG, was another production builder in 2012 with a total delivered tonnage of 90,700 BRZ. FSG produced four RoRo freight ferries for clients in Great Brit-ain and Turkey, and also participated, together with Lürssen, TKMS and P+S Shipyards, in building the combat sup-port ship BONN for the German Navy. After years of producing primarily RoRo vessels the shipyard expanded its product portfolio by taking orders for heavy cargo and seismic ships. Special ShipyardsAbeking & Rasmussen continued with its series of SWATH-Pilot ships with the new build delivery of Wandelaar for Belgium. The patrol boat Cesis, which is also a SWATH type boat, has been de- livered to Latvia and the hydrographic research ship Jakob Prei to Estonia, and the 60m charter yacht Excellence V has been delivered to a hirer in Fort Lauder- dale.Fassmer Shipyard again sported a di-verse offering in 2012, among its new- Luxury megayacht Topaz from Lürssen shipyard. MR #6 (58-65).indd 59MR #6 (58-65).indd 595/31/2013 10:03:20 AM5/31/2013 10:03:20 AM