Croatian shipbuilder 3 Maj has won an order for polar cruise ships from a US owner.
The Poslovni Dnevnik newspaper cited several sources as saying a letter of intent has been signed to build a series of expedition vessels.
The deal will ensure the survival of the Rijeka yard for several years.
The order will be for four ships initially.
Final contracts are planned to be signed this year.
A confidentiality clause means no further details are available yet.
In April 3, Maj delivered the 17,590-gt, 228-berth Scenic Eclipse II for Scenic Cruises in Australia.
The new ships are said to be smaller than this unit, but built to the highest polar class.
3 Maj is still working on the 45,000-dwt chemical tanker Onega Gulf, which is due in November for Viterlef Management.
The vessel was ordered in Russia way back in 2004.
British Virgin Islands-registered Viterlef tried to finish the ship in 2017 at Croatian yard Brodotrogir and then in 2021 at Brodosplit, with no success.
The vessel appears to be one of a series of 12 ordered by Norwegian owner Odfjell at Russia’s Sevmash in 2004, but cancelled in 2008 after huge delays.
Sevmash pressed on with the first two, Bow Dvina and Bow Onega.
The Bow Dvina was eventually delivered from Brodotrogir in 2017 as Dvina Gulf and still trades as Viterlef’s only listed vessel.
Viterlef was said to have bought that vessel for $6m and the Bow Onega for $4m.
