Rostock-Warnemünde, 13 March 2006 – Today the Avalon Tapestry, second TwinCruiser for Premicon AG in Munich, left NEPTUN Stahlbau GmbH towards Cologne.

The new TwinCruiser concept consists of two independent hulls which decouples sound and vibration from the engine to the passenger facilities and ensures a smooth and silent journey. The rear part of the river cruiser contains the drive unit, cabins for the technical crew as well as the wheelhouse. The front, with a length of 110 metres, contains the passenger cabins, public rooms, kitchen with food storage rooms as well as staff cabins. A characteristic of this new construction concept and an advantage of this ship is that all the cabins are built in a particularly efficient prefabrication process before being placed on the main deck. This ensures an extremely high sound insulation between the individual cabins.

Cabins and public spaces

This individually designed river vessel offers its passengers high quality river trips for a very good price/performance ratio. Its modern design ensures a pleasant atmosphere and the hotel and catering sector provides a high quality level of service.

Each cabin is equipped with a spacious shower, a double bed and a large wall unit. Dressing table, chair, telephone, satellite TV and radio are also standard equipment as well as safety deposit box and refrigerator. Added to this all passenger cabins located above the main deck have a French balcony. The “Avalon Tapestry” offers two suites, each approx 22m² and 80 double cabins at about 14.5 meters and can host up to 164 passengers.

In the front of the vessel a modern restaurant with 166 seats and a lounge with bar are available. Both are fully glazed to ensure the passenger can enjoy an undisturbed view over the river. A hair salon and a small separate club room complete the facilities of the ship. Unusual for this type of vessel is that the walk-in part of the sun deck is arranged in the front area. Thus, passengers can also enjoy a straight view ahead.

Covering an area of over 100 meters are and arrangement of seats and sun chairs, surrounded by a glass windbreak and deflectable sun blinds for protection. For variety, the “Avalon Tapestry” also provides a Wellness- and Fitness area with several cardio machines.

Engine and Speed

The Avalon Tapestry is powered by two MTU diesel engines Type 16V 2000 M60 with an output of 800kW and a speed of 21.7 km/h.

Further new buildings

The Premicon AG ordered two further new constructions at NEPTUN Stahlbau GmbH for delivery in early 2007. These river cruisers are designed for the use on the Rhine, the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal as well as the Danube.

Rostock-Warnemünde, 31 January 2006 – At NEPTUN Stahlbau GmbH, training has traditionally had a very high priority. Next to the recruitment of their own trained youngsters, the company also sees the provision of training places far beyond its own requirements but also as a vital task. Young people are offered a qualified education and thus given a solid foundation for career advancement. This will result in NEPTUN Stahlbau GmbH employing twenty new trainees in autumn 2006.

After three and a half years of education, 17 trainees have successfully passed the final examination. 14 specialise in construction mechanics whilst the other three focus on plant mechanics. Due to their extraordinary efforts they have all been offered a temporary contract and 14 will continue their work as skilled employees at the shipyard.

In a small ceremony Dr. Rainer Miebach, plant manager of NEPTUN Stahlbau GmbH, handed out the exams credentials as well as the employment contracts. NEPTUN sees these young trainees as an important component to ensure the survival and growth of the shipyard.

Rostock-Warnemünde, 05th September 2005 – On Wednesday, 16 new trainees began their apprenticeship at NEPTUN Stahlbau GmbH.

The new apprentices will be trained as construction mechanics (metal technology), construction technician welders, industrial mechanics as well as plant constructors.

During a small ceremony the apprentice contracts were handed over to the new employees of the shipyard. In an adjoining shipyard tour the future work place was presented to the new trainees and their families.

Rostock-Warnemünde – At NEPTUN Schiffbau GmbH in Rostock the keel-laying ceremony for the third Premicon river vessel took place. The first prefabricated block of the newest Premicon TwinCruiser has been placed into the assembly hall.

The vessel with the hull number 0507 will be chartered to Transocean Tours and will be delivered by the end of March 2006.

Rostock-Warnemünde – Today, the keel-laying ceremony for the second Premicon river vessel took place in Rostock. The newest ship of the Premicon fleet will be named Avalon Tapestry. With today’s keel laying, the first prefabricated block to the TwinCruiser has been placed into the assembly hall of NEPTUN Schiffbau GmbH.

The vessel with the hull number 0506 will be chartered to Globus Cosmos, one of the world's largest package-organizers, and will be delivered in late February 2006.

Rostock-Warnemünde, 11th June 2005 – The world’s first so-called TwinCruiser, unique among the river cruise ships, was christened in Mainz with the name Flamenco by the RTL Sport presenter Ulrike van der Groeben.

The river vessel can host up to 196 passengers and 192 cabins contain of a French balcony. From the restaurant and the lounge as well as from the deck the passenger can enjoy a free panoramic view of the passing river scenery.