Back to News Menu              Cruise News for the Corporate Travel Professional       September 2016

Vard Holdings Limited, the Norway headquartered shipbuilder 55.6% controlled by Fincantieri, says it has finalised contracts for four luxury expedition cruise vessels with French cruise company Ponant, which is part of the Artemis group in France.

“A Letter of Intent (“LoI”) with respect to the contracts had been announced on 16 March 2016, subject to several conditions being met, including satisfactory financing. At the end of June, Vard and Ponant had entered into shipbuilding contracts. All conditions have now been fulfilled and the contracts have become effective,” Vard said in a statement.

The ice-class expedition cruise vessels will be approximately 10,000 gross tons, about 131 metres long, 18 metres wide and will have a cruise speed of 15 knots. Each vessel can accommodate 180 passengers (92 cabins) and a crew of 110.

The vessels will be arranged with high class of luxury facilities on board, fulfilling the highest demands for environmentally friendly and safe operations.

The hulls will be built at Vard Tulcea in Romania. Delivery is scheduled from Vard Søviknes in Norway in the period summer 2018 to summer 2019.

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