Among the shipyards which have
The new concept turned into an in-
tor Altes Land. Although the yard is still in
successfully responded to the new mar-
stant success: already at the end of April,
the middle of its redevelopment process,
ket environment is Hamburg-based J.J.
Sietas obtained a contract for a double-
Sietas perspectives look quite encourag-
Sietas, Germany’s eldest shipbuilding en-
end commuter ferry from a domestic cli-
ing again – its order volume has been sta-
terprise with roots dating back to 1635.
ent, Wyker Dampfschiffs-Reederei Föhr-
bilised and expanded, and the forthcom-
A year ago, the situation looked less than
Amrum GmbH (W.D.R.). The new ship
ing delivery of M/V “Uthlande” promises
promising for the family-owned group and
– able to carry up to 1,200 passengers
to provide Sietas with an important refer-
its over 1,000 employees: Sietas Group
and 75 cars – will commence operation
ence supporting its further expansion in
(which comprises J.J. Sietas KG Schiff-
as M/V “Uthlande” on the Dagebüll-Föhr-
the ferries segment.
swerft GmbH & Co. and three subsidiar-
Amrum route linking the German main-
ies) was widely associated with container
land to two North Sea Islands in time for
SSB – WEATHERING THE STORM
ship building, applied a traditional produc-
the 2010 summer season.
The construction of passenger ferries has
“In the Sietas shipyard, we found
developed into a success recipe also for
an ideal partner for this project,” says
another German shipyard, SSB Spezials-
Axel Meynköhn, MD of W.D.R., “the yard
SIETAS – ACHIEVING
chiffbau Oortkaten GmbH based at the
adapted quickly to our requirements, and
THE TURNAROUND
Oortkaten harbour in Hamburg. Employ-
already in the tender phase Sietas was able
ing a staff of about 20, the small yard was
On 1st March 2009 Hinrich Sietas, the
to optimise our drafted plans for the fer-
established from the remains of Schiff-
yard’s owner and longstanding Manag-
ry in a highly impressive way. That sealed
swerft Heinrich Grube, a company which
ing Director, handed the helm over to a
the deal for us.”
had collapsed back in 1999.
tion layout and had suffered severe losses
both in 2007 and 2008.
Rüdiger Fuchs calls the W.D.R. con-
The founder of SSB, Klaus Schlünzen,
Fuchs – a former senior Airbus manager
tract “a symbol of the new beginning at
focused on the construction of minor spe-
– and Rüdiger Wolf. Within few months,
Sietas,” adding that “ferries are an ex-
cial-purpose ships – mainly vessels for au-
the company underwent deep restruc-
cellent fit for the new corporate strate-
thorities and passenger ferries for local
turing: the product portfolio was reshuf-
gy” with regard to its new focus on ships
fled with a focus on special-purpose ships
requiring specialist design and product
rather