The passenger shipping line Viking Line plans to order a new passenger vessel from the STX shipyard in Turku. The vessel is scheduled to start sailing between Turku and Stockholm in 2013. A letter of intent also contains an option for a second ship, HELSINGIN SANOMAT reports.
The new Viking Line ship is to be about 210 meters long, with a capacity for 2,800 passengers. STX said the vessel would be the most environmentally friendly cruise liner in its size class, using liquefied natural gas as its fuel.
The actual order has not been placed yet. Viking Line says that ordering the ship from STX hinges on support from the state. The government has decided to earmark funds for shipyard subsidies to help the industry get over the economic crisis.
Viking Line CEO Mikael Backman said on Monday that he is confident that the subsidy will be granted. Minister of Transport and Communications Anu Vehviläinen(Centre) emphasized that no concrete promises had been made to any shipping lines.
Ordering the vessel is a big decision for Viking Line, whose turnover for the last fiscal period was just over EUR 470 million, and whose business profit was of the order of EUR 17 million.
Designing the ship is beginning immediately in Turku, and the actual construction is set to start about a year from now.
The implementation requires 2,600 person work-years.
It will be the first time in years that an order has been made for a passenger ship sailing between Finland and Sweden.
The new Viking Line ship is to be about 210 meters long, with a capacity for 2,800 passengers. STX said the vessel would be the most environmentally friendly cruise liner in its size class, using liquefied natural gas as its fuel.
The actual order has not been placed yet. Viking Line says that ordering the ship from STX hinges on support from the state. The government has decided to earmark funds for shipyard subsidies to help the industry get over the economic crisis.
Viking Line CEO Mikael Backman said on Monday that he is confident that the subsidy will be granted. Minister of Transport and Communications Anu Vehviläinen(Centre) emphasized that no concrete promises had been made to any shipping lines.
Ordering the vessel is a big decision for Viking Line, whose turnover for the last fiscal period was just over EUR 470 million, and whose business profit was of the order of EUR 17 million.
Designing the ship is beginning immediately in Turku, and the actual construction is set to start about a year from now.
The implementation requires 2,600 person work-years.
It will be the first time in years that an order has been made for a passenger ship sailing between Finland and Sweden.
STX Finland is part of the international STX Europe Group, with shipyards in Brazil, Norway, France, Romania and Vietnam.