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Simulation · Minimal Factory · Ports and coast

Papenburg shipyard · shipbuilding in the building dock

Shipbuilding in a covered building dock as a model: cruise ships grow from prefabricated blocks, block transporters run, welding light flashes behind the hall door, on the Ems in Papenburg.

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Trailer

Real are location, terrain and halls (official Lower Saxony elevation data, OpenStreetMap). The third building dock is interpreted, the transfer is shortened; quantities, processes and times are model values. With your data, the model shows your site and your processes.

In the white building-dock halls on the Ems, cruise ships are built from prefabricated blocks; two real building docks stand as a block model on the real terrain, a third is interpreted. Steel arrives by truck, blocks from prefabrication wait in the block store, block transporters take them into the dock, welding light flashes behind the hall door.

The finished ship travels from the outfitting dock down the Ems to the sea, in the model greatly shortened, in reality around 40 km, mostly backwards. Five controls steer the yard: investment (one to three building docks), workforce, supply, quality and market. If steel and blocks are missing, the docks run only in part.

Real are location, terrain and halls from official Lower Saxony elevation data and OpenStreetMap. The third building dock, quantities, processes and times are an interpretation of our own and model values; one working day lasts ten seconds. The page is for exhibitions and visitor centres, schools and universities, training and local history.

From raw material to product

  1. 01

    supply – steel by truck, blocks from prefabrication

  2. 02

    building docks – block transporters move, welding light flashes behind the hall gate

  3. 03

    block yard – takes in what is not sold

  4. 04

    dispatch – the finished ship leaves the outfitting dock via the Ems to sea

A site at work

01

A site at work

Papenburg shipyard: In the white building-dock halls on the Ems cruise ships grow from prefabricated blocks; when finished they travel down the Ems to sea.

Building dock 1 (real)

02

Building dock 1 (real)

Building dock 1 (real) – A building dock: inside the hall the ship grows from big blocks; block transporters bring them from prefabrication, welding light flashes behind the gate.

What is shown – why – for whom

What is shown Why For whom
Two real building docks, a third as an expansion WhyShows how the ship grows from blocks in the hall. For whomexhibition, teaching
Block transporters and welding light behind the hall door WhyShows how the blocks get into the dock and are joined. For whommuseum, teaching
Prefabrication WhyShows where the large blocks are made from which the ship grows in the dock. For whomteaching, history of technology
Block store WhyShows where blocks wait until they are needed. For whomeconomics teaching, exhibition
Outfitting dock and the Ems WhyShows how the finished ship leaves the yard. For whomlocal history, exhibition
Visitor centre WhyShows from where visitors look into the building-dock halls. For whomexhibition, visitor centre
Five controls with output, block store and daily result WhyShows connections in operations, not operating figures. For whomeconomics teaching
Building dock 3

03

Building dock 3

Building dock 3 – the expansion runs along as long as people, materials and market suffice.

Five levers, one works

04

Five levers, one works

Full investment – three building docks: capacity for the boom, but only with enough people and materials.

Films from the model

  • Above Papenburg shipyard

    A flight across the whole site: low approach, Building dock 1, then across the works to the long shot – everything moving, with the sound of the works.

  • From raw material to product

    The works’ chain in one flight – supply (steel by truck, blocks from prefabrication), building docks, block yard, dispatch: station by station.

  • A working day in time-lapse

    In time-lapse working days pass in seconds: shifts at the gate, traffic on the supply and dispatch routes, the stockpile (block yard) changing along.

  • A works grows

    Investment step by step: new building docks appear, the workforce grows with them, then more supply and a boom in the market.

  • Bottleneck – the works respond

    First materials run short and the plant only runs in part, then the market takes too little and the stockpile fills up – in the boom the works recover.

  • Using the software

    With the full interface: open the works, set investment and market, look at stockpile and plant – every lever acts at once.

Facilities and areas in the model

  • Building docks

    A building dock: inside the hall the ship grows from big blocks; block transporters bring them from prefabrication, welding light flashes behind the gate. In the game: 2 real, 1 as expansion (interpreted).

  • Block yard

    Whatever is made but not sold ends up here; when it is full the surplus goes at a discount, when the market wants more it is drawn down.

  • Supply

    Steel by truck, blocks from prefabrication. A bigger contract costs more, the store buffers short gaps.

  • Dispatch

    The finished ship leaves the outfitting dock via the Ems to sea. The market only takes what it needs.

  • Visitor centre

    From here visitors look into the building-dock halls.

  • Prefabrication

    The big blocks the ship grows from in the dock are made here.

When things get tight

05

When things get tight

Block yard filling up – more is made than sold; when there is no room left the surplus goes at a 40 % discount.

Medium long shot

06

Medium long shot

Medium long shot – Building dock 1: block transporters move, welding light flashes behind the hall gate.

Processes in the model

From raw material to product

  1. 01supply – steel by truck, blocks from prefabrication
  2. 02building docks – block transporters move, welding light flashes behind the hall gate
  3. 03block yard – takes in what is not sold
  4. 04dispatch – the finished ship leaves the outfitting dock via the Ems to sea

Expansion

  1. 01raise investment by one step
  2. 02another building dock is built on its plot
  3. 03set the workforce to match, otherwise it only runs in part
  4. 04the market decides whether it pays – success in one number at the top

Bottleneck and recovery

  1. 01supply short – the store empties
  2. 02materials missing – the plants only run in part
  3. 03market in a slump – the stockpile grows until the fire sale
  4. 04boom – the stockpile empties, the result rises

What the model can be used for

  • Exhibition and visitor centre

    The building dock explains itself on the plant: in the hall the ship grows from large blocks, block transporters bring them from prefabrication. From the visitor centre the view goes into the building-dock halls.

    For whomexhibitions, visitor centres, museums

  • School and university

    How is a cruise ship built, and what is a covered building dock? Terms like section construction, block, prefabrication and outfitting dock sit where they belong.

    For whomschools, universities, vocational training

  • Industrial heritage and local history

    How does a ship get from Papenburg down the Ems to the sea? Halls, river and terrain lie in their place; the transfer is shortened in the model, in reality around 40 km.

    For whomindustrial heritage, city marketing, local history societies

  • Understanding operations

    Investment, workforce, supply, quality and market act at once on output, block store and result. It becomes visible why a further building dock without steel, blocks and people costs money.

    For whomeconomics teaching, further training

Building dock 1 at work

07

Building dock 1 at work

Building dock 1 at work – block transporters move, welding light flashes behind the hall gate; the machines run with the works’ utilisation.

The whole software

08

The whole software

Running the works – five levers: investment, workforce, supply, quality and market; the chain shows at once what follows.

What you can change

Controls

  • Investment: Number of building docks (1 to 3): more money builds more, less shuts them down; without more people they only run in part.
  • Workforce: Enough people for all building docks – output rises, and so does success. Too many people cost wages without more output.
  • Supply: More material arrives – the plant no longer has to wait. Levels short, normal and double; supply security costs money.
  • Quality: More quality means less scrap and fewer breakdowns but costs testing and maintenance (levels low, normal, high).
  • Market: Slump, normal or boom. In a slump more is made than sold: the stockpile grows and success drops. In a boom the market takes more: the stockpile empties and success rises.

Disruptions

  • Too few people: Workers are missing, part of the plant stands still.
  • Material missing: Supply is not enough; once the store is empty the plants only run in part (message: “Parts store empty – supply is short”).
  • Too much built: More is made than the market takes: the stockpile grows; when it is full the surplus goes at a 40 % discount (message: “Stockpile full – fire sale at a discount”).
  • Market wants more: Demand is greater than the works can make; once the stockpile is empty orders are lost (message: “Stockpile empty – orders are lost”).

What the model brings

  • 01

    The real terrain as a stage

    Halls, river and surroundings stand on terrain from official elevation data. You show the site as it lies, not as a diagram.

  • 02

    A ship from blocks

    Prefabrication, block transporter, building dock, outfitting dock: you understand the path of the ship before you steer the yard yourself.

  • 03

    Bottlenecks without damage

    Steel and blocks fail to arrive, the store empties, the docks run only in part. You see where it gets tight first, and set it back.

  • 04

    For big screens and the browser

    Runs in the browser and on large projections. A working day in fast motion lasts ten seconds.

  • Papenburg shipyard: In the white building-dock halls on the Ems cruise ships grow from prefabricated blocks; when finished they travel down the Ems to sea.
    Papenburg shipyard: In the white building-dock halls on the Ems cruise ships grow from prefabricated blocks; when finished they travel down the Ems to sea.
  • Papenburg shipyard from the other side – the same site in the afternoon sun from the south-west, with long shadows of halls and structures.
    Papenburg shipyard from the other side – the same site in the afternoon sun from the south-west, with long shadows of halls and structures.
  • Medium long shot – Building dock 1: block transporters move, welding light flashes behind the hall gate.
    Medium long shot – Building dock 1: block transporters move, welding light flashes behind the hall gate.
  • Far out near Papenburg – terrain, houses and trees come from official elevation data; at the edge the world fades softly into the dark.
    Far out near Papenburg – terrain, houses and trees come from official elevation data; at the edge the world fades softly into the dark.
  • From above – Papenburg shipyard as a model of blocks: every cell a block, buildings and terrain from elevation data and OpenStreetMap.
    From above – Papenburg shipyard as a model of blocks: every cell a block, buildings and terrain from elevation data and OpenStreetMap.
  • Papenburg shipyard from above at an angle – supply, building docks, block yard and dispatch at a glance.
    Papenburg shipyard from above at an angle – supply, building docks, block yard and dispatch at a glance.
  • All around Papenburg: streets, tracks and water from OpenStreetMap, houses and trees from the elevation data – only the plant in the middle is built specially.
    All around Papenburg: streets, tracks and water from OpenStreetMap, houses and trees from the elevation data – only the plant in the middle is built specially.
  • At eye level – Building dock 1, as close as from the fence.
    At eye level – Building dock 1, as close as from the fence.
  • Building dock 1 (real) – A building dock: inside the hall the ship grows from big blocks; block transporters bring them from prefabrication, welding light flashes behind the gate.
    Building dock 1 (real) – A building dock: inside the hall the ship grows from big blocks; block transporters bring them from prefabrication, welding light flashes behind the gate.
  • Building dock 2 (real) – a real structure of the site, running in the game: block transporters move, welding light flashes behind the hall gate.
    Building dock 2 (real) – a real structure of the site, running in the game: block transporters move, welding light flashes behind the hall gate.
  • Building dock 3 (expansion, interpreted) – only appears with more investment and runs only with enough people and materials.
    Building dock 3 (expansion, interpreted) – only appears with more investment and runs only with enough people and materials.
  • Block yard – whatever is made but not sold ends up here; when there is no room left, the surplus goes at a discount.
    Block yard – whatever is made but not sold ends up here; when there is no room left, the surplus goes at a discount.
  • Supply – steel by truck, blocks from prefabrication: a bigger contract costs more, the store buffers short gaps.
    Supply – steel by truck, blocks from prefabrication: a bigger contract costs more, the store buffers short gaps.
  • Dispatch – the finished ship leaves the outfitting dock via the Ems to sea: the market only takes what it needs.
    Dispatch – the finished ship leaves the outfitting dock via the Ems to sea: the market only takes what it needs.
  • Visitor centre – from here visitors look into the building-dock halls.
    Visitor centre – from here visitors look into the building-dock halls.
  • Building dock 1 close up – block transporters move, welding light flashes behind the hall gate.
    Building dock 1 close up – block transporters move, welding light flashes behind the hall gate.
  • Block yard close up – stack upon stack as soon as more is made than the market takes.
    Block yard close up – stack upon stack as soon as more is made than the market takes.
  • Building dock 1 at work – block transporters move, welding light flashes behind the hall gate; the machines run with the works’ utilisation.
    Building dock 1 at work – block transporters move, welding light flashes behind the hall gate; the machines run with the works’ utilisation.
  • Building dock 3 – the expansion runs along as long as people, materials and market suffice.
    Building dock 3 – the expansion runs along as long as people, materials and market suffice.
  • Block yard in day-to-day operation – stack upon stack as soon as more is made than the market takes.
    Block yard in day-to-day operation – stack upon stack as soon as more is made than the market takes.
  • Dispatch – the finished ship leaves the outfitting dock via the Ems to sea; in a boom more is on the move, in a slump less.
    Dispatch – the finished ship leaves the outfitting dock via the Ems to sea; in a boom more is on the move, in a slump less.
  • Full steam – all three building docks running, the market booming: supply and dispatch routes are at their busiest.
    Full steam – all three building docks running, the market booming: supply and dispatch routes are at their busiest.
  • Small investment – only Building dock 1 runs, the other plots lie ready as marked foundations.
    Small investment – only Building dock 1 runs, the other plots lie ready as marked foundations.
  • Full investment – three building docks: capacity for the boom, but only with enough people and materials.
    Full investment – three building docks: capacity for the boom, but only with enough people and materials.
  • Every facility labelled – building dock 1 to 3, block yard, supplier and market; at the top the working day with the daily output, on the right success in one number.
    Every facility labelled – building dock 1 to 3, block yard, supplier and market; at the top the working day with the daily output, on the right success in one number.
  • Building dock 1 labelled – name and number right in the picture.
    Building dock 1 labelled – name and number right in the picture.
  • Success in one number – 100 means it cannot get better in this market; below it the result per day, at the top the output per working day.
    Success in one number – 100 means it cannot get better in this market; below it the result per day, at the top the output per working day.
  • Where a lever acts, a ring lights up – here after a change in the market: block yard.
    Where a lever acts, a ring lights up – here after a change in the market: block yard.
  • Materials missing – supply is short, the store is empty: the building docks only run in part, the supply route is quiet.
    Materials missing – supply is short, the store is empty: the building docks only run in part, the supply route is quiet.
  • Block yard filling up – more is made than sold; when there is no room left the surplus goes at a 40 % discount.
    Block yard filling up – more is made than sold; when there is no room left the surplus goes at a 40 % discount.
  • Boom – the market takes more than is being made: the stockpile empties, the dispatch route is busy.
    Boom – the market takes more than is being made: the stockpile empties, the dispatch route is busy.
  • The whole software – at the top the working day with clock and output, on the right success in one number, below the tiles for works and facilities.
    The whole software – at the top the working day with clock and output, on the right success in one number, below the tiles for works and facilities.
  • Running the works – five levers: investment, workforce, supply, quality and market; the chain shows at once what follows.
    Running the works – five levers: investment, workforce, supply, quality and market; the chain shows at once what follows.
  • One lever, visible at once – market set to slump: the status line explains the bottleneck, the stockpile grows, the daily result drops.
    One lever, visible at once – market set to slump: the status line explains the bottleneck, the stockpile grows, the daily result drops.
  • Facility card – building dock: in operation, workforce and utilisation, plus one sentence on what happens there.
    Facility card – building dock: in operation, workforce and utilisation, plus one sentence on what happens there.
  • Stockpile card – block yard: stock, space used and growth per day.
    Stockpile card – block yard: stock, space used and growth per day.
  • Supplier card – delivery per day, store and material costs per day.
    Supplier card – delivery per day, store and material costs per day.
  • Market card – demand, sold and turnover per day.
    Market card – demand, sold and turnover per day.
  • Bottleneck in orange – supply is not enough: the line at the top and the works status say in one sentence what is missing.
    Bottleneck in orange – supply is not enough: the line at the top and the works status say in one sentence what is missing.
  • The menu – overview and plant, cutaway, restart, demo, sound and other sites, below the controls for mouse, touch and keyboard.
    The menu – overview and plant, cutaway, restart, demo, sound and other sites, below the controls for mouse, touch and keyboard.
  • Sixteen real sites – blast furnaces, collieries, car plants, harbours and a shipyard, each where it really stands.
    Sixteen real sites – blast furnaces, collieries, car plants, harbours and a shipyard, each where it really stands.

Your site as a model

Would you like to show your plant, your museum or your industrial site like this? Write to us or call. We will send you the password for starting it on request.

Start with password

Request the password if you are interested →

Ask about this

Minimal Factory: Werft Papenburg · Schiffbau im Baudock

What you enter goes to this site alone and serves only to answer you.

Basis and limits

Real are the location, terrain and buildings in Papenburg (official Lower Saxony elevation data and OpenStreetMap). The plant in the middle is our own simplified interpretation: quantities, processes, times and prices are model assumptions; the economy runs in time-lapse (10 seconds are one working day). Not a simulation of real operations and no cooperation with the site.

Public sources the model is based on:

  • Wikipedia (German), article on the site: Werft in Papenburg
  • GeoBasis-DE/LGLN 2026, data modified: DGM1 and DOM1 2021 (CC BY 4.0)
  • OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): streets, tracks, water, land use

More places in the model

← Minimal Factory

Real are location, terrain and halls (official Lower Saxony elevation data, OpenStreetMap). The third building dock is interpreted, the transfer is shortened; quantities, processes and times are model values. With your data, the model shows your site and your processes.