NEcOLEAP’s main achievements in 2024
The NEcOLEAP program’s third year is drawing to an end. We are proud to say 2024 has been a year of remarkable progress: we have been continuing to drive research, innovation and collaboration towards a more sustainable maritime industry, with our 50+ projects running at full speed. Now it is time to take a moment and reflect on what we have achieved this year.
NEcOLEAP’s successful R&D projects
The shipyard’s energy efficiency, biodiversity and more
As part of MEYER Turku’s green transition efforts, we are working with Lassila & Tikanoja’s energy services to achieve a 7.5% energy saving by the end of 2025, contributing to our goal of becoming a carbon-neutral shipyard by 2030.
This year, we continued our successful partnership with a local beekeeper to help pollinate natural plants in the environment surrounding the shipyard. In the summer, our 400,000 bees produced an impressive 800+ jars of honey!
Beyond these initiatives, significant effort has been dedicated throughout the year to all of our incredible R&D projects under the Shipyard and People clusters. Our teams have been working hard and researching ways to improve or optimize for example…
- the shipyard’s biodiversity
- logistics and inventory management
- social responsibility
- air quality in production halls.
We also collaborated with Aalto University to inspire future shipbuilders at Science Centre Heureka. The exhibition “On the Waves of Creativity” opened in September. We hope that we managed to inspire many children and teens to consider an education and career in maritime engineering and shipbuilding.
Steel Material Lifecycle Improvement
A fantastic NEcOLEAP project that came to an end in 2024 is Steel Material Lifecycle Improvement (SMLC).
With increasing costs and the significant carbon footprint of steel materials, MEYER Turku’s hull production and IT departments were faced with a common challenge: how to ensure efficient use of steel and timely delivery to shipbuilding? The SMLC project was initiated to answer the question.
The results led to significant cost savings and a reduced amount of material waste. Simultaneously, the carbon footprint of production lowered while data utilization capabilities increased. The annual reduction in steel to be ordered is equivalent to the yearly carbon footprint of 9 400 cars*!
*calculated with an annual driving distance of 13,500 km with emissions of 150 g/km.
AVATAR – MEYER Turku’s Climate-Neutral Product Portfolio
At the 2024 Seatrade Cruise Global event in Miami, we unveiled ‘AVATAR’, MEYER Turku’s portfolio of climate-neutral technology concepts. One of NEcOLEAP’s main targets is to develop a climate-neutral cruise ship concept by the end of 2025, and our teams are working hard to realize it.
AVATAR technology concepts include e.g. innovative galley designs with automated logistics, alternative materials, and energy efficiency optimizations. Emphasizing sustainable construction and circular economy principles, AVATAR reflects the cutting-edge research conducted under the NEcOLEAP program.
We also launched the AVATAR technology portfolio in a metaverse environment. During 2025, the environment will present more details about the developments in a virtual setting.
NavisSpace: Pioneering Sustainable Cruise Ship Design
Another great NEcOLEAP project that concluded in 2024 is the co-innovation project NavisSpace. It brought together MEYER Turku, Kone, Kudos, SeaKing, Åbo Akademi, Aalto University, and PBI Research Institute to reimagine cruise ship design.
By focusing on collaboration in the earliest concept phases, the project aimed to make ships more sustainable, to improve passenger experiences, and to deliver innovative solutions to the cruise industry.
The opening of the Green Transition Lab
In March, we held the opening event for the Green Transition Lab (GT Lab). The GT Lab is a collaborative RDI platform and a shared workspace for MEYER Turku’s sustainability-focused research and development projects. It fosters collaboration between industry players and universities in both academic research and product development.
The GT Lab organizes NEcOLEAP projects and, in the future, various other R&D initiatives. Recently, GT Lab moved to the Aura riverside, sharing the office space on Linnankatu 48 with MEYER Floating Solutions and Sarc + Sigge Architects.
The Green Transition Lab also started hosting a lecture series on the maritime industry’s transition towards climate-positive goals. More lectures are planned for next year, so stay tuned for updates.
Trade Fairs and Events
Seatrade Cruise Med
In September, NEcOLEAP’s project managers participated in the Seatrade Cruise Med event in Málaga. Project Manager Liina Vahala was also a keynote speaker at the roundtable “Navigating the Decarbonisation Journey: Synergies Between Ships and Ports“.
The roundtable sparked engaging discussions on the critical collaboration needed between ships and ports to achieve net-zero goals, and Vahala’s insights on sustainable shipbuilding were met with great interest.
Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo
NEcOLEAP’s Sustainable Stateroom project won the Interior Innovation of the Year award at the Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo in London on December 5. The award is a significant recognition of MEYER Turku’s R&D work.
At the adjoining Sustainable Design Summit, our team gave a speech on the topic of Charting Sustainable Ship Materials. The session discussed the future of material management for cruise ships and how MEYER Turku envisions a sustainable stateroom. It was a great honor and pleasure to get to showcase our innovative approaches and projects to our colleagues in the cruise industry.
NEcOLEAP’s Annual Seminar
In December we also organized NEcOLEAP’s annual seminar. Participants had the chance to listen to inspiring lectures by representatives from Aalto University, Turku School of Economics and Royal Caribbean Group. We also discussed NEcOLEAP’s past year and held the NEcOLEAP Awards to express our gratitude towards projects and people who have made excellent contributions during the year.
The seminar received positive feedback from participants, who enjoyed the engaging speeches and warm atmosphere. Many highlighted the importance of reconnecting with familiar faces and strengthening the NEcOLEAP ecosystem in a face-to-face setting. Attendees also appreciated the high quality of the presentations, which inspired new ideas and sparked valuable discussions. Thank you to everyone who made the day a success!
Back to newsAs we wrap up 2024, we want to thank everyone who has contributed to NEcOLEAP’s journey this year. We wish you a joyful holiday season and a Happy New Year 2025!