Meyer Werft has a long and succesful tradition not only in construction of cruise ships but also of high-end car and passenger ferries, Ro-Ro and passenger ships.
Ro-Ro ships ("roll on - roll off") are not loaded by means of cranes. The vehicles go on board through a hatch provided at the bow at seal level. The big ferries with their huge bow hatches are certainly a familiar sight.
Especially insular states depend on the operation of ferries. Hence it is not surprising that Indonesian shipping companies count among Meyer Werft's longstanding customers. Since 1983 the shipyard has built a large number of passenger ships and ferries for this Asian country. Over the years the Indonesian shipyard PT.PAL and the specialists from Papenburg have developed a close cooperation. Nowadays shipbuilders from Indonesia and from Germany are joining forces to build ships for the insular state in the Pacific.
In 1993 the shipyard established a new record by building the world´s largest cruise ferry “SILJA EUROPA", operated by Silja Line in the Baltic Sea between Finland and Sweden, mostly on the Turku-Stockholm route. As far as the interior outfitting is concerned, the Silja Europa almost meets the luxury standard of a cruise ship. Next to various bars and restaurants the ship also has a swimming pool with sauna and a theater.
