By
Rebecca Gibson |
The first two of Havila Voyages’ new coastal ships, Havila Castor and Havila Capella, have been launched at Tersan Shipyard in Turkey, despite delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic over the past six months.
To overcome the pandemic-related challenges and expedite the construction process, Tersan Shipyard has continued to build the ships on land for longer than normal, allowing its team to streamline several tasks.
“This means that the work on the ships that have been launched is well underway with regard to plumbing, machinery, electricity and fixtures and fittings,” said Arild Myrvoll, CEO of Havila Voyages.
Originally, the vessels were scheduled to start service on the coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes in Norway on 1 January 2021, however delivery is now expected to be delayed until the first quarter of 2021. Although Havila Voyages has received approval to operate two replacement vessels from 1 January until the newbuilds are ready to start service, the company is currently evaluating current travel restrictions to determine whether it needs to provide this capacity on the route.
"But we are pleased to note that there is a lot of interest in Havila Voyages from travel agencies and tour operators,” said Myrvoll. “We are in great demand and are looking forward to getting going.”
Once in service, Havila Castor and Havila Capella will be the most environmentally friendly ships on the route between Bergen and Kirkenes, with LNG-powered propulsion systems to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by 25 per cent compared to traditional propulsion solutions. In addition, the vessels will have the world’s largest battery packs, which will enable them to sail with zero emissions for up to four hours.
The ships will also have 179 spacious cabins and various public spaces, all with interiors designed and outfitted by Norwegian companies.
“We want to showcase the best that Norway has to offer,” said Myrvoll. “This gives us good technical solutions for operating the ship and good practical solutions for those travelling with us.”