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August 2, 2023

On Tuesday, August 1st, the coastal cruise ships Havila Polaris and Havila Pollux were officially handed over to Havila Voyages during a ceremony at the Tersan Shipyard in Turkey. “A milestone for the company,” says CEO Bent Martini. On Tuesday afternoon Turkish time, the Norwegian flag and the flag of Havila Voyages were finally hoisted on both the ships. 

“We have achieved our goal after a process that required a lot of time, resources, and perseverance. The Norwegian authorities, with whom we have an agreement, our customers, the coastal communities, our partners, and all employees had to exercise great patience,” said CEO Bent Martini. “We were confident that we would reach this moment, even though we encountered new challenges at every step. Finally having our own beautiful and state-of-the-art coastal ships with spacious cabins and high comfort for all on board is a milestone for the company.”

Osman Nurettin Paksu, the Chairman of the Tersan Shipyard, was also present at the celebrations: “It is a fantastic day for us as we celebrate the delivery of these beautiful coastal passenger ships to Havila Voyages. Despite the challenges that building these impressive ships presented to both us and Havila Voyages, we are very happy today to have delivered four wonderful ships. They are the most modern and environmentally friendly ships on the Norwegian coastal route, and we are proud that these four sister ships bear the name of the Tersan Shipyard along the beautiful Norwegian coast. We also thank Havila Voyages and its cooperative representatives for their support and efforts that made these deliveries possible. It has been a pleasure to work with them,” said Paksu. “It is gratifying to hear the positive feedback Havila Voyages is receiving from passengers traveling on Havila Capella and Havila Castor on the historical route. With four magnificent ships in operation, even more people will have the opportunity to experience these ships in their fantastic surroundings.” 

Over the past years, many Havila Voyages employees have been involved in the construction process in Turkey and have contributed to it. Martini emphasizes the importance of this. “We would like to thank the Tersan Shipyard for their excellent collaboration and great understanding of our challenges in recent years. They have built four fantastic ships, and without them, as well as other suppliers and partners, we would not be standing here today,” said Martini.

Havila Polaris is set to start operating from Bergen on August 17th and will be the first ship to leave the Tersan Shipyard. Shortly after, Havila Pollux will take the same route before commencing operations from Bergen on August 23rd.

“Our crews will go on board shortly, and now we will clear the necessary customs equipment before conducting final checks. Then Havila Polaris will depart for Bergen. Depending on the weather conditions we encounter on the return journey, it will take 10 to 12 days for the ships to be back in Norway. This means long and busy days to prepare the ships and put the finishing touches before we can welcome the first guests on board Havila Polaris and Havila Pollux‘s maiden voyage,” said Martini.

“The crew of Havila Pollux will assist when they arrive in Bergen and work together with our team onshore to ensure a successful start. It will be a joint effort that I look forward to. I believe that the days in Bergen will also strengthen us as a team, regardless of where in the company one works. It is important that we stick together, as we have always done. We are all excited to welcome our first guests on board.”

After Havila Voyages obtained the necessary financing permits for its coastal fleet at the beginning of the year and released the original financing partner’s securities on the ships, they worked hard to find the right financing partner for the company.

“The four ships for coastal shipping represent a significant value, and we wanted to find a financing partner that transfers full ownership of our ships to us. Now we own all our ships, and we have achieved our goal in the refinancing process,” said Martini.

Each of Havila Voyage’s ships has a value of approximately 150 million euros, and the fleet was financed with 305 million euros from the investment firm HPS Investment Partners LLC. Additionally, the company’s largest owners and investors contributed 65 million euros in additional equity, and Havila Holding AS provided a loan of 20 million euros.

Havila Voyages’ existing two ships on the coastal route, Havila Capella and Havila Castor, have received positive feedback from their passengers. The company uses the Net Promoter Score (NPS) scale to measure customer satisfaction, currently achieving a score of almost 80.

Like their sister ships, Havila Polaris and Havila Pollux also have an energy-efficient hull design that meets the various conditions on the Norwegian coast. The ships are equipped with a battery pack of 6.1 megawatt-hours (MWh), allowing them to sail emission-free for up to four hours. This means they can visit the UNESCO World Heritage site Geirangerfjord silently and emission-free, three years before the regulatory requirements  for emissions-free ferries and cruise ships come into effect in the fjords of the World Heritage.

The ships’ propulsion system is a hybrid solution, with a combination of the 86-ton battery packs and liquefied natural gas (LNG) providing energy. The batteries can be charged with clean Norwegian electricity during the ships’ berthing. This reduces CO2 emissions by up to 35 percent and local emissions (NOx and SOx) by 90 percent compared to corresponding ships operating on conventional fossil fuels. Thus, Havila Voyage‘s ships are the most environmentally friendly ships ever deployed on the historical coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes.

“For us, it is essential to demonstrate our commitment to climate, environment, and sustainability. This is not just a marketing gimmick or empty words. From the first day that Havila Capella entered service, we have exceeded the requirements set out in our contract with the Ministry of Transport,” said Martini.

The ships are also designed, built, and prepared for emission-free fuel alternatives such as hydrogen and ammonia. With current technology, gradual inclusion of biogas will further reduce CO2 emissions. Among the ships’ features, in addition to reducing emissions, is the recovery of heat from seawater and cooling water to heat the ships and onboard water. Additionally, the catering concept includes ingredients from local producers. The onboard menu changes during the journey to reflect the regions the ships pass on the coastal route.

The expansion of the Havila fleet and the success achieved in the past season affirm how the company is gaining increasing trust among passengers and positioning itself as one of the main references among cruise companies operating in Northern Europe.

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Gabriele Bassi

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