MAKINEN will visit Seatrade Cruise Global 2025 in Miami Beach on the exhibition days from Tuesday, April 8 to Thursday, April 10. The event is the largest gathering of cruise industry professionals, with more than 10,000 attendees and over 600 exhibitors. The event brings together cruise lines, shipyards, designers, outfitters, and suppliers to share ideas and discuss what’s next for the industry. This year, Seatrade Cruise Global celebrates its 40th anniversary.

MAKINEN will be represented by CEO Jaakko Mäkikalli and Markus Mäkinen, President of Makinen Inc. If you’d like to meet or schedule a meeting during Seatrade, please reach out to them via email at jaakko.makikalli@ismakinen.com or markus.makinen@ismakinen.com.

Learn more at https://www.seatradecruiseevents.com.

The latest issue of the Turku Chamber of Commerce magazine features businesses from the Turku region. MAKINEN’s CEO, Jaakko Mäkikalli, shares insights into our marine interior business, covering cabin refurbishment, furniture production, full interior deliveries for expedition vessel series, and the methods behind our efficient project execution.

Find the article Sisustusosaamista maailman merillä (in Finnish only) here.

We are launching MAKINEN In Focus, a six-part video series taking a closer look at what goes into marine interior projects. From planning and logistics to project management and execution, we’ll discuss what it takes to deliver high-quality interiors for both newbuilds and refurbishments. Along the way, we’ll cover the process, challenges, and solutions—and how everything comes together at a dry dock.

The first episode, About MAKINEN, is now live. CEO Jaakko Makikalli and President of MAKINEN Inc. Markus Makinen explain what we actually do when we deliver marine interiors—whether it’s refurbishing existing spaces, building new ones, or managing full turn-key projects.

New episodes will be released every few months, each focusing on a different aspect of marine interior projects. You can also find past videos of completed projects on our YouTube channel—subscribe to stay updated!

MAKINEN is featured in the latest edition of Business Enquirer (Issue 132). The article explores MAKINEN’s expertise in turnkey marine interiors, highlighting recent projects such as Icon of the Seas, Margaritaville at Sea Islander, and the SunStone Ships Infinity-class series.

CEO Jaakko Makikalli and Markus Makinen, President of Makinen, Inc. USA, discuss the company’s focus on precision, transparency, and delivering projects efficiently. These values have been at the heart of MAKINEN’s success over the past three decades, helping the company build a solid reputation in the marine interior industry.

The article highlights how MAKINEN’s commitment to quality and on-time delivery continues to drive its growth and global presence.

Click here to download the MAKINEN article: The Rising Demand for Marine Interior Expertise

Click here to view the full Business Enquirer  Issue 132

In April, MAKINEN completed the refurbishment of 803 cabins at the Margaritaville at Sea Islander in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The project included updates to furniture, carpet, textiles, lighting, and headboards, along with the installation of TV panels, vanity mirrors with lights, and ceiling moldings.

The production method used in the project, known as the MAKINEN Way, delivered minute-level accuracy and clear visibility throughout the process. The customer team members could easily follow the progress in real time, knowing exactly what would be done and when each batch of cabins would be ready for final inspection and handover.

“Our method eliminates guesswork by providing detailed plans before the work begins and offering our clients full transparency throughout the project,” says Jaakko Mäkikalli, CEO of MAKINEN.

The MAKINEN team was able to complete 32 cabins per day, excluding ramp-up and ramp-down time, finishing the entire project of 803 cabins in 28 days. For the customer, the process was transparent. The team coordinated material deliveries to match the pace of production, and the client could track progress easily. MAKINEN’s system also provided updates for hotel management, showing how many cabins were under renovation each day and when they would be available for use again.

“Efficiency and flexibility are key,” says Mäkikalli. “This project demonstrates our ability to adapt, scale production, and deliver results on time while maintaining our focus on quality and customer satisfaction.”

Enjoy the photos and video of the finalized cabins and see how the updates have transformed the spaces.

For further inquiries, please contact:
Jaakko Mäkikalli at jaakko.makikalli@ismakinen.com

Photos and video: Heikki Salonen Photography

MAKINEN will be exhibiting at the Cruise Ship Interiors Expo Europe (CSIE) at London’s ExCel on December 4–5, 2024. Our booth is #516, where we’re ready to discuss your next cabin and public space refurbishment, marine furniture, or newbuild project for expedition vessels and cruise ships.

CSIE is a key event for the European cruise interior design industry, connecting interior suppliers with leading cruise lines, designers, and shipyards. With over 200 exhibitors, including top studios and suppliers, the event offers great opportunities for networking and insight into the latest trends and innovations in the field. Learn more about the show and register for your free pass here.

To schedule a meeting, please reach out to CEO Jaakko Mäkikalli at jaakko.makikalli@ismakinen.com

MAKINEN’s Refurbishment team has completed the enhancement of the Celebrity Constellation, focusing on updates to The Retreat, including the The Retreat lounge, Luminae, The Retreat’s private restaurant, and the Sunset Suites to further enhance both design and functionality. Executed in the MAKINEN Way, the project was led by Project Manager Mikael Karlsson, who expressed pride in the outcome:
“We are very pleased with the overall team effort and the quality of work delivered. The project reflected outstanding collaboration between all teams, and everything went smoothly and according to plan. We couldn’t be happier with how these spaces turned out. The transformation is truly impressive.”

Explore the Transformation: Dive into the stunning details of the updated interiors and the quality of workmanship with our highlights video.

On May 30, 2024, SunStone Ships’ seventh Infinity-series expedition vessel, the Douglas Mawson, reached a major milestone with its keel laying at the China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) Shipyard. The 186-guest expedition ship is set for delivery in 2025.

The keel laying was celebrated in traditional fashion, with representatives from CMHI (shipyard), SunStone (owner), Bureau Veritas (classification body), and MAKINEN (interior contractor) present. The ceremony highlighted the international collaboration essential to the project. MAKINEN will begin the interior works for the project in the coming week.

On May 30, 2024, SunStone Ships’ seventh Infinity-series expedition vessel, the Douglas Mawson, achieved a significant milestone with its keel laying at the China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) Shipyard. This 186-guest expedition ship is on track for delivery in 2025.

The keel laying ceremony, attended by CMHI (shipyard), SunStone (owner), Bureau Veritas (classification body), and MAKINEN, who has successfully completed interiors for the six previous vessels in the series, highlighted the global collaboration. This project involves a consortium of industry leaders including Ulstein Design, SunStone Ships, Tomas Tillberg Design, MAKINEN, and CMHI. MAKINEN will begin interior works for the Douglas Mawson project in the coming week, marking another crucial step towards completing this final vessel of the series.

The expedition vessel is part of a long-term charter with Aurora Expeditions and will join their fleet, which includes the Greg Mortimer and the Sylvia Earle. Designed for worldwide exploration and sustainability, the Douglas Mawson will start its expeditions in December 2025, traveling to places like East Antarctica, the Ross Sea, and New Zealand’s Subantarctic Islands. Its first voyage will be a ten-day trip to Tasmania, leaving and returning to Hobart.

 

Timo Mouru, Director of Newbuilding:

”The next official milestone is the launch, scheduled for late November. So far, everything has gone as planned. Design and procurement have progressed well, setting us up excellently for the construction phase. Conditions are better than ever because we’ve had sufficient time to plan and procure properly. We aim to deliver our best performance yet in the ship series!”