Business · Companies · 3 hrs ago
Saint-Nazaire shipyard builds giant cruise ships and hires hundreds each year
The Saint-Nazaire shipyard in western France is building giant cruise ships as demand keeps its order books full.
Nearly 10,000 people and machines work there around the clock.
Each ship is assembled from 70 blocks, and workers can add one to three blocks a week.
A 550-tonne cabin section is carefully lifted into place by a young crane operator using joysticks and instructions from workers below.
The ship reaches its full shape in eight to nine months, though the shipyard’s large construction dock dates back to the late 19th century.
The yard hires 400 to 500 people each year, especially welders and metalworkers, because outside schools cannot train enough skilled workers.
On-site training lasts one year, and 80% of trainees are hired afterward.
The Saint-Nazaire shipyard builds giant cruise ships and hires between 400 and 500 people each year.
Nearly 10,000 employees and their machines work at the site day and night.
Building a ship involves assembling 70 blocks, and its full outline takes shape in 8 to 9 months.
The shipyard trains workers on site because outside schools cannot meet its need for skilled workers.
- Who
- Chantiers de l’Atlantique and its workers in Saint-Nazaire.
- What
- The shipyard builds giant cruise ships and hires between 400 and 500 people each year.
- When
- Not stated.
- Where
- Saint-Nazaire, Loire-Atlantique, France, on the banks of the Loire.
- Why
- The shipyard has full order books and needs skilled workers, including welders and metalworkers.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Annual hiring
- 400 to 500 people
- Workforce
- Nearly 10,000 employees
- Ship assembly
- 70 blocks
- Block placement
- One to three operations per week
- Ship outline
- 8 to 9 months
What people are saying
There is a big responsibility.
An operation like the one we see today, placing a block, we do one, two, or even three a week. So in reality, the ship takes shape very quickly and reaches its full outline in only 8 to 9 months.
I think this is one of the places to be if you want to be a metalworker. This is where the most work is available.