Minister-President Daniel Günther opens “oceanworld”

At the thyssenkrupp Marine Systems shipyard in Kiel, Minister-President Daniel Günther officially opened “oceanworld” today in the presence of the Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Oliver Burkhard, Kiel’s Lord Mayor, Dr. Ulf Kämpfer, Managing Director Dr. Rolf Wirtz and other guests.

The “oceanworld” will bring customers, guests and employees closer to the brand world and capabilities of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems in the areas of surface vessels, underwater technology, services and electronics in a realistic and fascinating way, all bundled together in one place.

The opening of “oceanworld” is a significant milestone for the company on the way to becoming the most modern naval company in Europe. The Minister-President assured that he would also call on the new federal government to further deploy and expand the existing technological and innovative strengths in naval shipbuilding. “Because we have a clear competitive advantage here that dare not be squandered, we must continue to foster a strong maritime economy – with the shipbuilding industry at its centre,” said Günther. With “oceanworld”, the company has created an impressive opportunity to visualize the future.

Equipped with the latest multimedia and communication technology, visitors to “oceanworld” can immerse themselves in a virtual shipyard experience and get to know the entire range of products and services. The centrepiece of the more than 700 m² showroom is – in addition to numerous “live” exhibits – a video wall 14 metres wide and over three metres high, bringing products and services to life in an impressive way.

But “oceanworld” is more that this, as Supervisory Board Member Oliver Burkhard emphasized in his speech: “It is not only intended to be a classic showroom, like other companies have, but it should also be a place of community and meeting. All the more so, because it simply did not exist in this form at the entire shipyard before. And now it is here: the place where thyssenkrupp Marine Systems can show who it is, where it comes from and what the future of this industry will be.”

Following the laying of the foundation stone for the new shipbuilding hall around six weeks ago, the “oceanworld” is a further investment in the Kiel location.

Kiel’s Lord Mayor, Dr. Ulf Kämpfer, had this to say: “The maritime industry will remain part of Kiel’s DNA. thyssenkrupp Marine Systems shapes the image of our city and is a forward-looking employer for many residents of Kiel. With “oceanworld”, thyssenkrupp Marine Systems not only ensures that customers from all over the world can convince themselves of the company’s performance and innovative strength. It also offers staff the opportunity to meet colleagues and experience fellowship. This is an enormous gain for the sense of community that many people in Kiel have missed very much in the past months.”

Despite all the current problems that characterize shipbuilding in Germany, the opening associated with this investment is an expression of the future viability of the industry – of this, Managing Director Dr. Rolf Wirtz is convinced: “We are in tough international competition – not only for orders, but also for skilled workers. With “oceanworld”, we visualize our innovative strength and future viability. This gives us a tool to present ourselves in the best possible light within a highly competitive environment.”