Helsinki Shipyard Begins Building Third Ship for Swan Hellenic

Helsinki Shipyard said the first steel has been cut for the third vessel in a series of new luxury expedition cruise ships for British cruise line Swan Hellenic.

Ordered in October 2020, the new vessel is scheduled to be delivered at the end of 2022. Like its two sister ships already on order, the vessel is designed for the global cruise market, with an emphasis on high-latitude cruises.

“The order for the third ship in this series of expedition cruise ships was one of the few cruise ship orders placed in the pandemic situation during 2020, and therefore significant for all of us. The order reflects our customers’ solid trust in our expertise and abilities and the good spirit of our cooperation,” said Esko Karvonen, CEO of Helsinki Shipyard.

At 125 meters long and 12,000 gross tons, the newbuild will be larger than its sisters. And unlike the previous two ships in the series, its steel blocks are manufactured at CRIST shipyard in Poland and transported to Helsinki by sea.

Production work in Helsinki will start during the Autumn, and the ship’s hull assembly will begin with a keel laying in the end of year 2021, the shipyard said.

“The start of production is a milestone for us and the customer about the partnership that works well. We will continue on this solid basis, building a high-quality vessel for the customer,” said Ville Korpela, project manager for the build and the yard’s new sales director.

The new ship will have a 4.6 MW diesel-electric hybrid machine with exhaust cleaning, maximum 3 MW battery capacity and PC6 ice class hull.

The ship will accommodate 192 guests in 96 cabins and suites, most with large balconies. It will be operated by a crew of 140.