MAKINEN has secured a contract with China Merchants Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. to construct the interiors of the seventh and final vessel in the SunStone Ship’s Infinity Class Expedition vessel series. MAKINEN Newbuilding has been the sole interior contractor for the last six vessels in the series: Greg Mortimer, Ocean Victory, Ocean Explorer, Sylvia Earle, Ocean Odyssey, and Ocean Albatros.

The upcoming vessel, currently referred to as “197,” will be a long-term charter to Australia-based Aurora Expeditions. The steel cutting is scheduled at the end of this year, and the interior building phase is set to begin in the summer of 2024. The “197” is aimed to be delivered in fall 2025.

Stay tuned for updates as the construction progresses, and witness the birth of the vessel as it prepares to set sail.

For inquiries, please contact Timo Mouru (timo.mouru@ismakinen.com), Director of Newbuilding. 

 

Over the past five years, the MAKINEN team has served as the sole interiors supplier for the Sunstone Ships Infinity class series, which comprises a total of 7 ships. These vessels have been designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions, with interiors designed by Tomas Tillberg Design. Timo Mouru, Director of Newbuilding, has been leading the MAKINEN team in China at CMHI shipyard since the end of 2019, overseeing the delivery of five of the latest ships. The sixth vessel, Ocean Albatros, was delivered in April, and it will be a year-round charter of Albatros Expeditions.

Timo Mouru, how did the project “Ocean Albatros” go in MAKINEN’s perspective?

The ship’s design closely resembles that of Ocean Victory, which was constructed during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic when China was under a complete lockdown. Although the completion of this project was still affected by China’s COVID-19 policies, the circumstances were significantly different. During this project, we achieved a tremendous leap in development: With MAKINEN’s commitment to continuous improvement, we surpassed our internal quality expectations, and we take great pride in delivering a ship of exceptional quality, more refined and perfected than ever before.

Is there anything different or unique about Ocean Albatros compared to the other vessels in the series?

The most notable feature that sets this ship apart from its sister vessels is the Sushi bar on the 5th deck. Additionally, we have used a different material for the linings of the fixed furniture, jacuzzis, and the swimming pool on the outer decks. Through this change, we aim to make maintenance easier for the customers.

MAKINEN has now completed the interiors for six ships. Would you say that you have established the best practices for these projects, and did everything go as planned?

Honestly, without the pressure from COVID-19 restrictions and with the exceptional design, the entire project was relatively straightforward to execute. In terms of scheduling, this project was the most demanding for MAKINEN thus far, considering the time between contract signing and ship handover. Despite the tight timeline, and with some additional effort, we managed to complete all the work on time. I am delighted to say that when the ship set sail, everything was meticulously finished and polished to a standard never seen before.

Six vessels down, and the seventh and final Infinity Class vessel will be delivered in 2025. What are your feelings?

For the first time in 3.5 years, there is no longer another steel hull waiting, urging us, “Please interior me!” This feels somewhat like the “end of an era.” Amidst the challenges posed by the pandemic, we tirelessly pushed forward, delivering vessels without pause. Although there is still one more vessel to come after a short break, now is the perfect time to take a breath, utilize this extra time for careful preparation and planning, so that when the seventh vessel arrives, we are even more prepared to create a grand finale and crown jewel that the series truly deserves.

Enjoy the interiors of Ocean Albatros and check out these news links for more information about the vessel:

• Cruise Industry News – Sunstone delivers Ocean Albatros
• Ulstein – Finalizing the interior of the Ocean Albatros

Stay tuned for more interior news from MAKINEN Newbuilding!

It is again the time of the year when the premier trade fair, Cruise Ship Interiors, will take place on June 6–7 in the Miami Beach Convention Center. MAKINEN is joining over 200 marine industry exhibitors for two action-packed days dedicated solely to marine interiors.

MAKINEN booth number this year is 1010 – feel free to drop by or schedule a meeting with CEO Jaakko Makikalli or President Markus Makinen to discuss our products and services, such as refurbishing the cabin and public spaces, our interior newbuilding or marine-grade furniture production – more in detail.

Cruise Ship Interiors is free to attend, and registration is now open! Please register using MAKINEN’s unique registration link HERE to secure your free pass.

On March 12th, 2023, China celebrated its Arbor Day – 国际植树节 (guójì zhíshù jié) – a holiday dedicated to planting and caring for trees. To mark the occasion, the team at CMHI Shipyard gathered for a special event, joined by MAKINEN, to plant trees.

As part of the festivities, MAKINEN made its own contribution by a donation to support the event and planting its own namesake sapling – the maidenhair tree.

China’s Arbor Day has been celebrated on March 12th since 1979 and is now recognized as an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of trees and forests to our planet’s health. By planting new trees and caring for existing ones, individuals and companies can help to mitigate the effects of climate change
and preserve the natural environment for years to come.

Seatrade Cruise Global will be held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on March 27–30, with the expo dates on March 28–30. Seatrade is “the largest trade event brimming with over 500 Exhibitors from every sector of the industry – tech, entertainment, health, safety & environment and more – gather to share ground-breaking cruise products and services – all under one roof.”

MAKINEN team with the CEO Jaakko Makikalli, President Markus Makinen and Chairman  Ismo Makinen will be attending the Seatrade exhibition from Tuesday, March 28th to Thursday March 30th.

If you’re interested in setting up a meeting with MAKINEN during or around Seatrade, please reach out to

Jaakko Mäkikalli at jaakko.makikalli@ismakinen.com or

Markus Makinen at markus.makinen@ismakinen.com.

In 2023, MAKINEN is celebrating a significant milestone – 30 years in the marine interior industry. Looking back on the past three decades, we’ve come a long way from our beginnings. Today, we’re proud to be recognized as full-scope marine interior experts, providing refurbishment and newbuilding of cabins and public spaces and marine-grade furniture to our cruise industry customers worldwide. It’s been a journey full of challenges, changes, and growth, and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our amazing customers, partners, and friends.

Over the last three decades, we’ve worked hard to create innovative products and services, build lasting relationships with our customers, and make a positive impact on the marine industry. We owe it all to our dedicated team of professionals who live by our values, provide the best solutions to our customers, and don’t hesitate to go the extra mile (or even a few) to get the job done.

As we embark on our fourth decade in business, we view it as another challenge to get even better at what we do. We will continue pursuing innovations, challenging ourselves, and delivering the highest quality services possible.

The Refurbishment year of 2023 was finally kicked off with the MAKINEN team rolling up its sleeves at CFC Renaissance, a vessel acquired by the new French cruise line Compagnie Française de Croisières. Renaissance is being converted from the former Holland America Line Maasdam, with an anticipated debut in May 2023.

In January, the MAKINEN team of professionals completed an extensive upgrade for Renaissance interiors, refurbishing a total of 628 passenger cabins and staterooms and 17 public spaces. The ship will be officially named at a ceremony in Le Havre on May 10, and the inaugural cruise is scheduled for May 14.

CFC Renaissance:

• When: January, 2023
• Place: Brest, France
• Scope: Passenger refurbishment (carpets, furniture reupholstering,
  bathroom retouch, and more); select public spaces
• Cabins: 628
• Public spaces: 17
• Project size: 135

MAKINEN Finland maintains its CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Performance Ladder Standard 3rd level Certificate  after the annual audit conducted by DNV in November. The audit verifies that MAKINEN is capable of achieving specified objectives and meeting the requirements outlined in the standard. MAKINEN passed the audit without any nonconformities and demonstrated the effectiveness of its management system. 

“Our corporate culture is based on a strong interest in the continuous development of business operations and the desire to act as an industry pioneer. Obtaining the certificate as the first company in Finland and among the first globally supports these ambitions of being the industry forerunner”, Jaakko Makikalli, CEO of MAKINEN, says.

“Social responsibility and sustainable development form the core of our business. The health, safety, and well-being of our employees, subcontractors, and partners are an essential part of our social responsibility. The CSR certificate has increased awareness and understanding of the importance of social responsibility and sustainable development among the company’s personnel. It has brought social responsibility actions into everyday activities through various development projects and programs. We are committed to continuously promoting and developing our operating methods in a sustainable and responsible manner.”

In late 2021, MAKINEN became the first organization in Finland to receive the DNV-certified sustainability management system certificate. It was also the first accredited sustainability certificate issued to a company operating in the global shipbuilding industry. After the renewal, MAKINEN continues to be the only organization in Finland awarded with this certificate.