Havila has confirmed that the first two ships in its fleet, the newbuildings ‘Havila Castor’ and ’Havila Capella’, are delayed.
They are now due to start operations along the Norwegian coast this Summer. They were to be delivered in early 2021.
Both ships are now expected to arrive in Norway from the Tersan Shipyard in Turkey at the end of May or early June. It will then take several weeks to prepare them for operation.
Arild Myrvoll, CEO Havila Voyages (pictured), said: “I’m deeply disappointed that the ships cannot sail sooner and would like to apologise to those guests and employees who were hoping to sail with us before then.
“Sadly, the on-going situation with Coronavirus has delayed delivery of some fixtures and fittings and also led to fewer workers being able to work onsite at the Tersan Shipyard.
“In any other year, a delay of any length would prove very challenging. However, with the current travel restrictions to and within Norway, we do not anticipate strong demand until the Summer, by which time we expect to be sailing.
“It is, however important to emphasise that the Coronavirus pandemic is still ongoing, and the new delivery schedule is based on the current situation. We will of course continue to monitor the situation. We are incredibly excited about the launch of Havila Voyages and look forward to welcoming guests on board later this summer,” he concluded.
