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The shipping group MSC is in preliminary negotiations to acquire approximately 80% of Meyer Werft, a German shipyard specializing in cruise ship construction.
According to Bloomberg, the stake under discussion corresponds to the share package currently held by the German Federal Government and the state of Lower Saxony, which became shareholders during the company's financial restructuring process. The Meyer family would retain approximately the remaining 20%.
According to the financial media, the talks are still in an early stage, and there is no certainty that they will materialize. Likewise, other potential buyers could submit offers for the state's stake.
Meyer Werft went through a complex financial situation after the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the cruise industry. In this context, the German government and Lower Saxony provided resources to ensure the shipyard's continuity and maintain its industrial activity in Germany.
The eventual entry of MSC into ownership would imply a significant change in the relationship between both companies, which are currently client and supplier.
In December 2025, MSC Cruises and Meyer Werft announced an agreement to proceed with the construction of four new-generation New Frontier class cruise ships, plus two optional units. The vessels will have an approximate capacity of 5,400 passengers and a gross tonnage of around 180,000 tons.
Deliveries of the first four units are scheduled from 2030. In June 2026, both companies indicated that contractual negotiations for these projects were well advanced.
Meyer Werft, with facilities in Papenburg and Rostock, also maintains an order book linked to other major international cruise operators, so an eventual acquisition by MSC could generate a new configuration in the relationship between the shipyard and its various clients.
The operation still needs to overcome negotiations between the parties and, eventually, the corresponding regulatory processes. For now, MSC has not publicly confirmed that there is a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Meyer Werft.