World’s largest cruise ship under construction launched in Turku

The Hero of the Seas, described by Yle as the world’s largest cruise ship under construction, has been launched at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.

More than 60 percent of the fourth Icon-class vessel is complete, and its outfitting phase will now begin. The ship was launched on Friday in a traditional ceremony accompanied by a cannon salute from the Arma Aboa artillery group.

“The steelwork is now complete, and the ship’s outfitting is beginning. The visible surfaces and shapes are now being built,” project manager Kalle Hyytiä said.

The vessel is scheduled to be delivered to the US cruise company Royal Caribbean next summer. It will feature a larger water park and more swimming pools than its predecessor, as well as a suite designed to resemble a treehouse. Its colour scheme will also differ somewhat from earlier vessels.

Meyer Turku chief executive Casimir Lindholm said the shipyard was performing better than it had in years. Around 7,000 people work at the shipyard each day, including about 2,400 employees directly employed by the company.

The shipyard’s cooperation with Royal Caribbean has been agreed through 2036. The seventh Icon-class vessel is due to be delivered in 2030, while details of vessels planned for the following years have not yet been announced.

Royal Caribbean is expected to begin operating the fourth Icon-class vessel from Miami in August 2027.

Demand is also growing across Finland’s engineering and metal products industry. Production and turnover rose by about 7 percent in January to June compared with the same period last year, according to Hanne Mikkonen, chief economist at Technology Industries of Finland.

The sector employed more than 138,000 people at the end of June, 2,500 more than at the beginning of 2025. However, the industry already faces a shortage of skilled workers and is expected to need 53,000 new professionals over the next 10 years, including engineers and skilled welders.