Helsinki Shipyard exercised the right to sell the ship by tender, provided for by the shipbuilding contract, after the original Russian buyer failed to take delivery of the ship due to sactions. The auction ended at midnight on 9 December and was satisfactory for Helsinki Shipyard, which analyzed the bids and declared Swan Hellenic the winner.

The Shipyard and Swan Hellenic will now enter into a new agreement for the completion of the vessel, which is scheduled to be delivered to Swan Hellenic in March 2023, in time to start cultural expedition cruises of the Mediterranean from the beginning of April as planned.

Andrea Zito, CEO of Swan Hellenic Limited, said: “We are happy to have secured SH DIANA, a Polar Class PC6 vessel with state-of-the-art ship technology and sustainability that will enter service as planned in March. We look forward to welcoming our guests aboard SH DIANA to experience our cultural expedition cruises in the historic regions for which they were first conceived.

Kim Salmi, Helsinki Shipyard’s CEO says: “The shipyard is satisfied with multiple inquiries and received bids. We are also happy to announce Swan Hellenic as winner of the tender, as it naturally helps next step, the fast agreement and continuation of works for completion of the vessel according to the plan in March”.

Swan Hellenic was relaunched in July 2020 to continue the spirit of cultural expedition cruising the company pioneered in the 1950s. Building on its British roots, the new company has a global cultural cruising outlook dedicated to providing guests with the opportunity to see what others don’t.

Swan Hellenic's purpose-built ships feature elegant Scandi-design interiors, extensive outdoor spaces and dedicated expedition facilities. SH MINERVA and SH VEGA, two new 5-star Polar Code PC 5 expedition cruise ships with ice-strengthened hulls, respectively launched in December 2021 and arriving in July 2022, each accommodates 152 guests in 76 spacious suites and staterooms, the majority with large balconies. SH DIANA is a slightly larger PC 6 ice-class vessel, accommodating 192 guests in the same distinctive comfort and style in 96 staterooms and suites.