“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,” says Esko Karvonen, CEO of Helsinki Shipyard.

The third vessel to be delivered to Swan Hellenic, like the two ships already in production, represents a new generation of expedition cruise ships and is designed for the global cruise market, with an emphasis on cruises at high latitudes. The vessel will be delivered to its customer at the end of 2022. NB 518 is bigger than its sisters and designed to sail to all continents.

Unlike the previous two ships in the series, the steel blocks of ship the 518 are manufactured at CRIST shipyard in Poland. The blocks are 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 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,” commented Ville Korpela, project manager of ship 518 and the yard’s new sales director.

The newbuilding 518 has a 4.6 MW diesel-electric hybrid machine with exhaust cleaning, max. 3 MW battery capacity and PC6 ice class hull. The 125-metre and 12,000 gross ton ship is specially designed to explore the most interesting and inaccessible places on Earth.

The ship offers spacious 5-star accommodation for 192 guests in 96 cabins and suites, most with large balconies. The ship will be operated by a crew of 140 to provide the highest level of personal service.