Expedition cruiseship specialist SunStone Ships says that long-term charter contracts have now been signed for the first four vessels in a potential series of 10 Infinity-class newbuildings in China.
The initial ship is being chartered to Aurora Cruises of Australia, whose shareholders have taken a 50% stake in the vessel. It was known that employment was being lined up for more.
SunStone president and chief executive Niels-Erik Lund was recently in China for the steel cutting of the Aurora newbuilding Greg Mortimer and signing of the shipyard contract for a second, currently known as Infinity II.
Lund, however, declined to disclose the identity of the Infinity II charterer but confirmed to TradeWinds that long-term employment has also been inked for the third and fourth newbuildings, the Infinity III and Infinity IV. Names and charter periods have so far not been revealed.
SunStone ordered four firm newbuildings, with options for a further six. Lund said that because of the level of interest shown in the series, “development” of the fleet will be accelerated.
TradeWinds reported last month that formal signing of the third shipyard contract was imminent.
The Infinity-class ships will have capacity for between 130 and 200 passengers and 85 to 115 crew.
They are being built at China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) to ice-class 1A, Polar Code 6, requirements and will also meet the Safe Return to Port requirement under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (Solas).
Ulstein Design & Solutions is responsible for the hull design and technical layout of the vessels. This includes the entire equipment package purchased in Europe and supervising its installation.
“We believe this is the perfect marriage of European cruising expertise with efficient and capable production in China,” said Lund.
The Aurora vessel marks the first cruiseship built in China for the international market and the first cruiseship constructed by CMHI. It is being named the Greg Mortimer after the explorer and founder of Aurora.
Several hundred guests attended the steel-cutting including the mayor of Haimen Municipal People’s Government, Guo Xiaomin, as well as ministers and other government representatives.
Also present were senior management from China Merchants Group; Claude Maillot, senior vice president of Bureau Veritas; and Lars Stale Skoge, commercial director of Ulstein Design & Solutions.
Aurora was represented by one of the company’s owners, board member Glenn Haifer, and president Robert Halfpenny.
