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!
Photos © MAKINEN
