Viking Line, Bygg nr. XSI488A ved Xiamen Shipyard, Car- & Passenger Ferry "Viking Glory"

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Letter of intent concerning an order for a passenger vessel

Today, November 23, 2016, Viking Line Abp signed a letter of intent with the Chinese company Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co. Ltd. concerning an order for a passenger vessel to be delivered in the spring of 2020. The aim is to sign a final agreement during the spring of 2017. The total investment is about 190 million euros. The letter of intent also includes an option for an additional vessel.

The vessel is intended to be a collaborative project, and the plan is to engage a number of Finnish and other European suppliers, including Deltamarin as well as a number of others. The new vessel is planned to serve the Turku (Finland)–Åland Islands (Finland)–Stockholm (Sweden) route. The vessel will be 218 metres in length and have a gross registered tonnage of 63,000 tonnes. Passenger capacity will be 2,800 people, and the length of its cargo lanes will be 1,500 metres. Viking Line will hire Scandinavian architects for the interior design.

Kilde: Viking Line
 
Viking Line has signed a shipbuilding contract with Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co.

5 APRIL 2017

Today, April 5, Viking Line signed a conditional shipbuilding contract with the Chinese company Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co. concerning a new passenger cruise ship for the Turku(Finland)–Åland Islands–Stockholm (Sweden) route with planned delivery in 2020. A final agreement is subject to the approval of the Board of Directors of both the buyer and the seller as well as financial arrangements entered into. The total contract amount is about 194 million euros. The agreement also includes an option on another vessel.

The new vessel will be a collaborative project, and the plan is to engage a number of Finnish and other European suppliers. The energy-efficient vessel will be 218 metres in length and have a gross registered tonnage of about 63,000 tonnes. Passenger capacity will be 2,800 people, and the length of its cargo lanes will be 1,500 metres. Viking Line will hire Scandinavian architects for the interior design. The new vessel will provide a brand-new passenger experience for guests.

Kilde: Viking Line
 
"Viking TBN"
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Illustrasjon: Delta Marin
 
Viking Line to open “huge” tax-free store on new vessel in 2021

Ferry operator Viking Line has said it is relishing the opportunity to utilise the additional tax-free space at its disposal when it launches its latest vessel in 2021.

The new vessel, with a capacity of 2,800 passengers, will sail from Turku in Finland via Aland to Stockholm and replace the M/S Amorella ship, which departs daily from Turku and Stockholm, the operator said. Designed by Swedish architecture firm Koncept Stockholm, the vessel is being built in China by Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co.

Speaking to DFNI at the recent Viking Line Whisky Fair onboard MS/Cinderella, Viking Line Sales and Purchasing tax-free manager Kim Engblom said: “We will have a huge tax-free store on board and it is something incredibly special to get this additional space. We need this to give us the opportunity to explore new things in the shopping environment.”

Engblom indicated the launch of the new vessel will provide an excellent opportunity to build on the strong commercial offer created on M/S Viking Grace, which boasts a large multi-category tax-free store and the first standalone Victoria’s Secret on a ship. He added: “The tax-free space on the new vessel will be slightly smaller than that on M/S Grace. The most important thing is that we obtain enough space to play with.”

Customers will have the opportunity to suggest names for the ferry in advance of the launch; the remainder of the Viking Line portfolio comprises M/S Viking Grace, M/S Amorella, M/S Viking XPRS, M/S Mariella, M/S Cinderella, M/S Gabriella and M/S Rosella.


An interior shot of the new Viking Line vessel

Viking Line Whisky Fair
Reflecting on the recent tenth Viking Line Whisky Fair, which attracted around 8,500 whisky enthusiasts who sampled hundreds of whiskies from brands such as The Balvenie, Dalmore, Highland Park, Glenfiddich and Bruichladdic, Engblom said: “We have a very good working concept and fine tune things every year, listening to our partners and the many whisky connoisseurs we have on board.”

In terms of consumer buying habits during the three-cruise event, which featured masterclasses and tastings, Engblom emphasised consumers were not at the event to buy standard whisky. “They want rare and exclusive products. They have such a deep level of knowledge; it is absolutely amazing. Here, they can buy collector’s items at tax-free prices so it is no wonder people have such large assortments at home,” he said.

The importance of the fair and whisky category in general in terms of overall business must not be underestimated, Engblom added. “The whisky fair may be the biggest event on Viking Line each year, but here on M/S Cinderella we have smaller monthly whisky cruises for 80 to 100 people. The Macallan, for example, will launch a new range in February that will be presented on one of these cruises. It is great to ensure we have something to launch and discuss about whisky. These kind of special cruises are extremely important.”

Category mix
Spirits aside, Engblom said wine and champagne had become a very important category on board. “We see huge growth here, as well as in fashion. Beauty is also very important, but challenged by various domestic market outlets. Fragrances have been a little challenging in the past year.”

Looking back on last year as a whole, overall tax-free sales were a little down due to several reasons. “The most significant factor was the change in nationality mix. We had an extra vessel in the form of a catamaran travelling between Helsinki and Tallinn in the summer, which led to a record 6.8 million passengers in 2017. This, however, brought different nationalities, which perhaps were not the highest spenders.”

Kilde: DFNI Online
 
The agreement also includes an option on another vessel

Viking Line has decided not to exercise its option on another vessel

Viking Line has decided not to exercise its option on another vessel.

Viking Line Abp has decided not to exercise the option to construct another vessel included in its shipbuilding contract with Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd. The option has expired.
 
Viking Line's new vessel will be dubbed Viking Glory

This past spring, Viking Line held a major competition to come up with a name for the line's new cruise ship. Thousands suggestions were received from Sweden, Finland, Åland and the rest of the world. Of these, ten finalists were chosen, which some 30,000 people have now voted on. As of today, 27 May 2019, Viking Line announces that the new vessel will be dubbed Viking Glory.

In 2021, passengers will be able to enjoy an entirely new cruise experience on the Baltic when Viking Line launches its new, climate-smart vessel. The new ship, which will sail the route between Turku, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden, is currently under construction in Xiamen, China. Before the ship was to be christened under her new name, the heads of the shipping line turned to the public to come up with one.
"The level of engagement has exceeded all our expectations - we are so pleased and grateful for the thousands of people who took the time to help us out with this. We look forward to continue building this cruise ship of the future," says Gustaf Eklund, Head of Business Development and in charge of development of the new vessel at Viking Line.

The prize for each of the top ten finalists who participated in competition is a trip on the maiden voyage of the new vessel. The finalist who came up with the name Glory will be treated to a trip for two on the maiden voyage in 2021. Viking Line will be contacting all ten winners in week 22. A total of 22,500 people submitted name suggestions, while some 30,000 voted for the winning entry.
 
Kölen lagd för Viking Glory

I dag ordnades högtidlig kölsträckning för M/S Viking Glory som Viking Line bygger i Xiamen, Kina. På plats var rederiets ledning och den projektgrupp som håller i arbetet på plats. Fartygsbygget framskrider enligt plan och Viking Glory ska gå in i trafik genast efter färdigställande i slutet av år 2020.

Kölsträckning är det första momentet i mer konkret mening när ett fartyg ska byggas. Kölen som utgör själva grunden till fartyget Viking Glory placeras på stapelbädden och tillmäts stor ceremoniell (och formell) betydelse. Det är brukligt att såväl varvsledning som beställare, rederiet, finns på plats när det sker. Senast Viking Line genomförde en kölsträckning var i Åbo i mars 2012 då bygget av Viking Grace i praktiken inleddes.

Rederiet Viking Line bygger just nu vad som beskrivs som Östersjöns klimatsmartaste fartyg, Viking Glory. Idag den 3 juni har byggprocessen nått fram till den traditionsenliga kölsträckningsceremonin, som ägt rum under tidig morgon på varvet i Xiamen i Kina. Viking Glory som inom två år kommer att börja kryssa mellan Stockholm, Mariehamn och Åbo passerar därmed en viktig milstolpe: nu börjar fartyget ta form på allvar.

År 2021 utlovs en helt ny kryssningsupplevelse till Östersjön när Viking Line lanserar sitt nya, klimatsmarta fartyg Viking Glory. Fartyget som kommer att gå varje kväll från Stadsgården i Stockholm till Åbo i Finland och tillbaka, byggs just nu i Xiamen i Kina. Rederiets vd Jan Hanses har tillsammans med medlemmar ur koncernledningen och representanter för varvet under högtidliga former placerat ett tiotal euromynt och kinesiska yuanmynt i olika valörer under Viking Glorys köl.
– Enligt historiska traditioner som går hela vägen tillbaka till Antikens Grekland lägger man ett eller flera mynt under fartygets köl för att bringa lycka. Kölen är den del som finns längst ner på skrovets botten och beskrivs ibland som fartygets ryggrad. När fartyget väl är färdigt för sjösättning flyttar man mynten och svetsar in dem i masten i stället, säger Jan Hanses.
Viking Glory som kommer att kunna ta upp till 2.800 resenärer ska drivas med LNG, flytande naturgas. Viktiga nordiska samarbetspartners för att utveckla övriga miljötekniska detaljer och en nyskapande interiör är bland annat ABB Marine, Koncept Stockholm, Climeon, Wärtsilä, Kone, Deltamarin och Almaco. De första kryssningarna med Viking Glory beräknas bli bokningsbara i december 2019.

Kölsträckningsceremonin är en gammal skeppsbyggartradition, där man placerar ut mynt under fartygets köl för att ge lycka under byggandet. Under ceremonin lyfts fartygets första sektion på plats i varvets byggnadsdocka, där mynt placerats ut ovanpå kölblocken. Kölsträckningen symboliserar skeppets födelse; den första byggsektionen är klar och man börjar foga ihop de övriga sektionerna med den. När det fartyget är klart för sjösättning tillvaratas lyckoslantarna som legat under kölen och svetsas senare samman som en del av masten.

Viking Lines nya kryssningsfartyg kommer att ge sina passagerare möjlighet att ta del av skärgårdsvyer utan motstycke och fartyget har redan väckt stort intresse i både Finland och Sverige. Den namngivningstävling som ordnades i april gav upphov till mer än 22.000 namnförslag. Från och med december i år är det möjligt att börja boka resor med det nya fartyget.

Fartygets tekniska data:
  • Färdigställs i slutet av 2020
  • Sätts i trafik i början av 2021 på rutten Åbo–Åland–Stockholm
  • Passagerarkapacitet: 2.800 personer
  • Hytter: 922
  • Besättning: cirka 200 personer
  • Längd 222,6 meter, bruttodräktighet 63.800 ton
  • Fraktkapacitet: 1.500 filmeter
  • Isklass: 1 A Super
  • Bränsle LNG (flytande naturgas)
  • Byggs i Kina på Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd:s varv
  • Samarbetspartner: Wärtsilä, ABB Marine, Kone, Koncept Stockholm, Deltamarin, Almaco m.fl.
Läs mer om fartyget på den här länken

Kilde: Ålands Sjöfart
 

Oversatt med Google Translate:

Byggingen av Viking Lines nye skip har sakte fortsatt ved Xiamen Shipyard

Arbeidet avtok betydelig i januar på grunn av kinesisk nyttårsfeiring og koronaviruset.

Viking Lines nye fartøy, Viking Glory, er under bygging ved Xiamen verft i Kina.

Arbeidet ved verftet ble avbrutt på grunn av kinesiske nyttårsferier i januar, hvor flere verftsarbeidere ble karantene i hjembyene på grunn av et coronavirus.

Johanna Boijer-Svahnström , talskvinne for Viking Line, sier at det fortsatt pågår arbeid ved verftet, men ennå ikke på full kapasitet.

Rederiet håper å ha skipet klart i Kina sommeren 2021.
 
 
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