STX Finland just got a very important order for a ferry for Viking Lines. I normally don’t cover ferry travel but this is important news. No one is building ships anymore. Its just the way things are now. After Allure leaves Turku, there will only be a handful of ferries left in the 3 yards in Helsinki, Turku and Rauma. A very awkward and dire situation for the yard-central town in Finland.
The Scandinavian ferry company, Viking Lines reached a preliminary agreement for construction of one “new generation, environmentally friendly” cruise ferry. Also in the agreement is a deal for a sister. The deal for just the one ship comes out to 240 million euros. Construction will start in fall of 2011 and she will be delivered in Q1 of 2013.
Even more interesting is the prospect that the ship will use LNG instead of heavy bunker fuel!