STX Finland and Viking Line have signed a preliminary agreement for the construction of a new generation cruise ferry for Viking Line.
The ship price will be about EUR240 million (US$314 million), and it will be built at STX Europe shipyard in Turku for delivery at the beginning of 2013.
The cruise ferry will service the Turku – Aland islands – Stockholm route.
The ferry is about 210 metres in length and has a 57,000 gross tonnage, and the agreement includes an option for a sister ship.
The announcement comes on the back of news that Viking Line will receive nearly all of the EUR30 million (US$39.3 million) in investment support for shipping earmarked in Finland's annual state budget for environmentally friendly projects.
The Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications decided on December 21 to propose that Viking Line be granted EUR20 million (US$26.2 million) of the whole sum for the construction of a new passenger vessel at the Turku shipyard.
The other EUR2.0 million (US$2.62 million) would go to the Turku-based company Gaiamare for a cargo ship that uses biologically produced oil as its fuel.
The payment of the subsidy still requires the approval of the European Commission.
In addition, officials will keep tabs on the construction of the vessels, and the ship will undergo an inspection to ensure the "environmentally friendly" criteria are met.
The environment-based subsidy is to be granted only after the vessel is delivered.
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