JOINED PRESS RELEASE HELSINKI SHIPYARD / SWAN HELLENIC

12.12.2022

Helsinki, 12th of December 2022

Helsinki Shipyard Oy announces the successful acquisition of the SH Diana by Swan Hellenic

SH Diana in the dry dock at Helsinki Shipyard Oy

Helsinki Shipyard Oy, having received bids for the auction of NB518 today announced that Swan Hellenic has been awarded the tender.

Helsinki Shipyard has exercised the right to sell the ship by tender, provided for by the shipbuilding contract, after the original buyer failed to take delivery of the ship. The auction ended at midnight on Friday the 9th of December and was satisfactory for Helsinki Shipyard, which analyzed the bids and declared Swan Hellenic the winner.

The Shipyard and Swan Hellenic will now enter into a new agreement for the completion of the vessel, which is scheduled to be delivered to Swan Hellenic in March 2023, in time to start cultural expedition cruises of the Mediterranean from the beginning of April as planned.

Andrea Zito, CEO of Swan Hellenic Limited, said: “We are happy to have secured SH Diana, a Polar Class PC6 vessel with state-of-the-art ship technology and sustainability that will enter service as planned in March. We look forward to welcoming our guests aboard SH Diana to experience our cultural expedition cruises in the historic regions for which they were first conceived.

Kim Salmi, Helsinki Shipyard’s CEO says: “The shipyard is satisfied with multiple inquiries and received bids. We are also happy to announce Swan Hellenic as winner of the tender, as it naturally helps next step, the fast agreement and continuation of works for completion of the vessel according to the plan in March”.

About Helsinki Shipyard Oy:

Helsinki Shipyard Oy is located in the capital of Finland and specializes in shipbuilding technology and building of special vessels for demanding conditions and routes. The shipyard has a long tradition and unmatched expertise in designing and building of icebreakers and other high ice-class vessels for operations in cold environment. In addition to the arctic know-how, our specialization covers also passenger ferries and cruise ships.

The shipyard is renowned as a pioneer in Finnish shipbuilding, a substantial employer and part of the history and landscape of the City of Helsinki.

More information: Kim Salmi tel. +358 10 622 2600

About Swan Hellenic:

Swan Hellenic was relaunched in July 2020 to proudly continue the spirit of cultural expedition cruising the company pioneered in the 1950s. Building on its British roots, the new company has a global cultural cruising outlook dedicated to providing guests with the opportunity to see what others don’t.

Swan Hellenic’s purpose-built ships feature elegant Scandi-design interiors, extensive outdoor spaces and dedicated expedition facilities. SH Minerva and SH Vega, two new 5-star Polar Code PC 5 expedition cruise ships with ice-strengthened hulls, respectively launched in December 2021 and arriving in July 2022, each accommodates 152 guests in 76 spacious suites and staterooms, the majority with large balconies. A slightly larger PC 6 ice-class vessel, SH Diana, accommodating 192 guests in the same distinctive comfort and style in 96 staterooms and suites, will be arriving in early 2023.

All three ships feature 3 dining venues – the Swan Restaurant, Club Lounge and Pool Bar & Grill – and are being built in full compliance with SOLAS Safe Return to Port requirements. Dedicated to guests with a passion for adventure and cultural exploration, the company’s meticulously planned itineraries explore the wild landscapes, wildlife, peoples and unique cultures of the world’s less travelled regions.

The crews each include a team of 12 seasoned expedition guides, expert speakers and lecturers, for a total complement of 120 and 140 persons respectively, offering outstanding staff-to-guest ratios to deliver the highest standards of attentive personal service.

Headquartered in Cyprus with offices in London, Dusseldorf, Monaco, Fort Lauderdale (serving the North American market), Hong Kong (serving Greater China and South-East Asia), Sydney (serving Australia-New Zealand) and Copenhagen (serving Scandinavia and Iceland), as well as partnerships serving India and Japan, Swan Hellenic supports the travel trade with local specialist partners to provide customers with expert personal service worldwide.

For more information about Swan Hellenic, please visit  www.swanhellenic.com or call +44 (0) 207 846 0271

For Swan Hellenic, please contact: Patrizia Iantorno, VP of Global Marketing: patrizia.iantorno@swanhellenic.com

For Press, please contact: Renato Bodi, TwentyTwenty: Tel.+41793746887 renato.bodi@twentytwenty.biz

Media Library: https://swanhellenic.filecamp.com/s/SH_MINERVA_PHOTOS_15/fo