STX Finland last week succeeded in securing the much-needed funds that will allow the company to complete TUI Cruises’ liner duo.

Jari Anttila, deputy CEO of STX Finland, confirmed that the shipbuilder has secured the funds it needs to deliver its current backlog of orders to the German cruise line operator, reports the HelsinkiTimes.

With the new finances in place, the Turku shipyard will be safe until 2015.

STX Finland’s financial troubles started in 2012 when the company lost a lucrative order for an Oasis-class luxury cruise ship. The order went to its sister shipyard in France, because it could not come up with the financing for the project.

STX Finland’s Turku yard started production of Mein Schiff 3 (NB 1383) in 2012. The vessel that was launched in Nov is scheduled for delivery in spring 2014. Her sister ship NB 1384 (Mein Schiff 4) is currently under production and she will be delivered one year after Mein Schiff 3.

Mein Shiff 3 and her sister ship Mein Shiff 4 are sophisticated and highly innovative GT 99,000 cruise ships. Once completed, these cruise ships will be approx. 295 metres long and 36 metres wide.

They will both have 1,253 staterooms (2,500 lower beds) and a crew of 1,000. The cruise ships will have many environmentally-friendly features. They will incorporate a combined system for treating exhaust gases which minimizes sulphur, nitrogen oxide, fine dust and soot emissions. What is more, being compliant with the safe return to port requirement, they will also include additional passenger comfort features. Particular emphasis has been put on the ships’ energy efficiency.

SBT Staff, December 18, 2013