Havila Voyages finally receives Havila Polaris and Havila Pollux

Havila Voyages has doubled its fleet with the delivery of Havila Polaris and Havila Pollux after overcoming a series of setbacks during construction.

The Norwegian company marked the arrival of the two new vessels with a ceremony at Turkey’s Tersan shipyard, near Yalova, on August 1.

Havila Voyages’ chief executive, Bent Martini, described the delivery as a “milestone” for the cruise line whose fleet also includes Havila Capella and Havila Castor.

He said: "We have now reached our goal following a process that required a lot of time, resources, and perseverance. [...] We remained confident we would reach this moment, even though we have encountered new challenges at every turn.”

Havila Polaris is scheduled to start operations from Bergen on August 17, with Havila Pollux due to follow the same route from August 23.

After Havila Voyages received the required licenses earlier this year to finance its coastal fleet and release the security the original financing partner had in the ships; they have been working hard to find the right financing partner for the shipping company.

"The four coastal route ships represent significant financial value, and we wanted to find a financing partner that would give us full ownership of our ships. We now own all our ships ourselves, and with that, we have succeeded in our goal in the refinancing process," said Martini.

Like their sister ships, Havila Polaris and Havila Pollux – which are valued at approximately 150 million euros - are equipped with a battery pack of 6.1 megawatt-hours (MWh), allowing them to operate emission-free for up to four hours.

Martini added: "For us, it is important to prove our commitment to climate, the environment, and sustainability. This is not just a marketing stunt or empty words. From the very first day Havila Capella entered service, we have exceeded the requirements set out in our contract with the Ministry of Transport.”