Japan’s “biggest cruise ship ever”, the LNG-powered Asuka III, has been officially delivered to NYK Cruises, a subsidiary of Japanese shipping group NYK.
The Asuka III was handed over by German shipbuilder Meyer Werft to NYK Cruises on April 10, following its technical and nautical sea trials conducted in the North Sea on March 18.
The ASUKA III stands for a new and Japanese kind of luxury at sea. The 740-guest ship, which sails alongside the ASUKA III, will offer cruises from various ports in Japan.
The ship is characterized by a special design that combines open spaces with traditional Japanese aesthetics. Japanese artists will also be exhibited on the ship, including Hiroshi Senju’s fresco in the Gallery Café (Deck 6) and Reiji Hiramatsu’s paintings in the Noblesse Restaurant (Deck 6).
During its first season, the ship will call at over 30 destinations throughout the country, including Hakodate, Otaru, Takamatsu, Shingu, Muroran and Moji. The highlight of the season will be the “Japan Circumnavigation Cruise” departing from Yokohama in early August, during which the Asuka III will visit Hakodate, Otaru, Kanazawa, Maizuru, Moji and Beppu on a 12-night voyage before returning to her home port.
The ship is one of the most energy-efficient cruise ships ever built and represents an important milestone on the way to reducing emissions and carbon intensity.
“The delivery of the ASUKA III is on schedule today and is an important milestone for us,” said Bernd Eikens, CEO of MEYER WERFT Group. “The entire Meyer Werft team, together with our partners, has worked hard to bring this ship to life and today we have completed another great ship. Many of the interior elements will only be brought on board in Yokohama, the ship’s home port, but it is already apparent that it will be a wonderful ship for the Japanese public,” Eikens continued
After the ASUKA III was transferred some 40 km down the Ems from the Meyer shipyard in Papenburg, it completed its technical and nautical sea trials in the North Sea on March 18 – under the supervision of Captain Wolfgang Thos, the shipyard’s captain, and experienced pilots on the high seas.
Established in 1989, NYK Cruises has launched a series of Asuka-class cruise ships in the Japanese market. The first series of cruise ship “Asuka I” was launched in 1991, is Japan’s first cruise ship for global cruising. The Asuka II entered service in 2006.