Meyer Werft, Shipyard in Papenburg, Germany
Meyer Werft is a large operation on the banks of the Ems with several covered building docks for passenger vessels and cruise ships. The site includes workshops, cranes and berths that stretch along a wide section of the river.
The operation started in 1795 as a small wooden boat workshop and switched to building iron ships in the 19th century. Across seven generations the yard grew into a leading manufacturer of ocean vessels.
The visitor pavilion displays models of current projects and offers views into the yards through floor-to-ceiling windows. Staff explain through exhibits how steel plates become enormous hulls and what craftsmanship goes into finishing the interiors.
The yard offers guided tours in several languages that must be booked in advance through the website or local tourism office. The tours take visitors through parts of the site and to the visitor pavilion with exhibition areas.
Each completed ship must make a 36-kilometer journey downriver through the Ems to the North Sea. This passage demands precise coordination with tides and water levels, as the riverbed is in some spots only slightly wider than the ships.
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