MSC Cruises and MEYER WERFT have issued the following joint statement regarding the current status of negotiations on the major contract for MEYER WERFT to build four next-generation cruise ships, plus two options.

“In December 2025, MEYER WERFT and MSC Cruises announced a letter of intent for the construction of four innovative cruise ships, plus two options, at MEYER WERFT. In the meantime, concrete planning for the ships’ design and negotiations for the conclusion of the relevant contracts have reached an advanced stage. This involves an extensive and complex set of contracts, for which at least six months is typically required. MEYER WERFT and MSC Cruises are confident that they will successfully conclude the negotiations in the coming weeks. The partners will then inform the public accordingly.”

Additional information: The cruise ships will form part of a new class of vessels to be known as the ‘New Frontier’. The contract would ensure the shipyard’s capacity well into the next decade. With a maximum passenger capacity of 5,400 and a gross tonnage of around 180,000, the ‘New Frontier’ ships are due to be delivered annually from 2030 onwards.