In 2014, HANSA has once again issued its traditional award »Ship of the Year«. Meyer Werft has been awarded for the newly built research vessel »Sonne« which combines innovative components and is considered the most modern of its kind
The high-efficient newbuilding for 124mill. € gives proof of the shipbuilding location Germany’s high level of competence in building special[ds_preview] ships. The contract was awarded in 2011 after a Europe-wide tender by the German Federal Ministry for Science and Research. Primarily Neptun Werft in Warnemünde, a sister company of the Meyer Werft, won the contract. As the Papenburg shipbuilding site was not fully utilized at that time, the management decided to build »Sonne« in the northwest.
The enormous complexity of the project and most of all the ultra-modern echo sounding and wind turbines constituted determining factors for the award together with the vessel’s distinctive »safe return to port« system, a special hub compensation and ecological efficiency. The vessel provides excellent
research and working conditions for scientists. It was classified by the norwegian-german society DNV GL.
This newbuilding of 116m length at 20.2m width represented a major challenge for the shipbuilder in Papenburg. Not only the ship type but also the consideration of all technological requirements constituted a particular task, shipyard boss Bernard Meyer said at the ship’s christening.
Bernard Meyer’s company celebrated its 220th anniversary in January. It was founded 1795 as Thurm Werft at the »Hauptkanal« in Papenburg. The company had already been awarded several times in the past for a »Ship of the Year«, mostly for big cruise ships of different clients, but last in 2012 for the LNG tanker »Coral Energy«, which was built for Anthony Veder. The »Sonne« is now following the mega yacht »Azzam« built by Lürssen shipyard and honored with the award presented by HANSA’s editorial office last year. »Ship of the Year« has been awarded since 1982.
