KONE awarded contract to equip 'Global class' cruise ships by MV WERFTEN

KONE Corporation, press release, August 25, 2017

KONE, a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry, has been awarded a contract by German MV WERFTEN to equip two of the shipyard group's newest cruise ship class vessels belonging to the new 'Global class' fleet and specifically designed for Asian cruise market. The contract also includes options for two similar vessels.

KONE will deliver 9 KONE MonoSpace® elevators, 33 KONE MiniSpace(TM) elevators and 16 KONE TravelMaster(TM)110 escalators. Other solutions will include E-Link monitoring systems, and special elevator operating modes including boarding, luggage handling, gangway and medical priority modes. Built in Wismar, Germany, the ships will be 340m long, spanning across 20 decks and carrying more than 5,000 passengers and over 2,000 crew members. The two vessels belong to a series of 204,000 gross tonnage Star Cruises Global Class cruise ships owned by Genting Hong Kong Ltd and due to be completed in 2020 and 2021.

"With years of experience in marine business, KONE's team has convinced us with their experienced site professionals and planning and design expertise. We're looking forward to building the world's most modern and efficient cruise vessels with improved passenger flow and boarding," says Jarmo Laakso, Managing Director of MV WERFTEN.

"The Asian cruise market is booming and there is a new breed of cruisers with high expectations for on-board experience. With early involvement, we're proud to have co-created with the customer a tailor-made solution that meets the needs of Asian cruise passengers," says Timo Pakarinen, Managing Director for KONE's Marine business.

In addition to the cruise ship, KONE has also been awarded a contract by MV WERFTEN to equip two of its 20,000 GT "Endeavor" mega yachts with an option for one additional ship. The "Endeavor" class vessels will be the world's largest expedition yachts designed for operation in the Arctic, Antarctic and also in the Tropics. KONE's solutions will include two MiniSpace(TM) passenger elevators and two MiniSpace(TM) service elevators. The vessels are due for delivery to luxury cruise line Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises in 2019.

The orders were booked in the second quarter of 2017.

Previous KONE press releases are available at www.kone.com/press including:
May 26, 2016: STX France recognizes KONE as best long-term partner
April 24, 2015: KONE awarded contract to equip new-generation cruise ship by STX France
January 22, 2015: KONE wins a fourth consecutive Oasis-class cruise ship order e ship with energy efficient people flow solutions

For further information, please contact:
Liisa Kivelä, Director, External Communications, KONE Corporation, tel. +358 204 75 4330. media@kone.com

About KONE
At KONE, our mission is to improve the flow of urban life. As a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry, KONE provides elevators, escalators and automatic building doors, as well as solutions for maintenance and modernization to add value to buildings throughout their life cycle. Through more effective People Flow®, we make people's journeys safe, convenient and reliable, in taller, smarter buildings. In 2016, KONE had annual net sales of EUR 8.8 billion and at the end of the year over 52,000 employees. KONE class B shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. in Finland. http://www.kone.com

About MV WERFTEN
MV WERFTEN comprises of three shipyards in Wismar, Rostock and Stralsund in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV) and has some of the largest docks and covered fabrication facilities in Europe. The yards are located in a region with an excellent transportation and logistics infrastructure and have direct access to the Baltic Sea. Further investments in a laser thin-plate welding line, cabin manufacturing, state-of-the-art software and other automation will be made to make MV WERFTEN one of the most efficient cruise ship builders in the world.
In their 70-year history, the three shipyards have designed, produced and fitted out around 2,500 sea-going newbuilds, including two AIDA cruise vessels, Premicon river cruise vessels and Stena Line ferries. MV WERFTEN, headquartered in Wismar, is constantly investing in innovation and new technologies as well as employee training to guarantee excellent "made in MV" quality.