Meyer Turku, the Finnish cruise ship builder, has started talks with representatives of its personnel about lay offs, Finnish media reports say.
The company employs 2,200 people and the talks concern the entire staff, the reports say. Some of them suggest the lay offs would last for 90 days.
CruiseBusiness.com understands from an employee of the company that lay offs are being planned, but has been unable to obtain a comment from the company.
The move would come against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, which has seriously affected the cruise industry.
Earlier this week, Carnival Corporation & plc that is a customer of the yard said in a statement: “The Corporation is taking additional actions to improve its liquidity, including capital expenditure and expense reductions, and pursuing additional financing.”
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL), another of Meyer Turku’s major customers, said on 10 March: The company is pursuing additional actions to improve its liquidity by reducing capital expenditures, operating expenses and taking other actions to improve liquidity by at least a further $1.7 billion in 2020.
The next delivery from Meyer Turku will be Carnival Mardi Gras of Carnival group’s Carnival Cruise Line unit.
Meyer Turku orderbook and current delivery times
Ship Gross tons Operator Delivery due
Carnival Mardi Gras 184,000 Carnival Cruise Line Apr 2020
Costa Toscana 182,700 Costa Crociere Oct 2021
Carnival 2 184,000 Carnival Cruise Line Apr 2022
Icon of the Seas 200,000 Royal Caribbean Int. 2022
Mein Schiff 7 111,500 TUI Cruises 2023
Icon 2 200,000 Royal Caribbean Int. 2024
Icon 3 200,000 Royal Caribbean Int. 2025
-Source: Shippax Info, December 2019