Viking Line has announced that its shipbuilding contract with Xiamen Shipbuilding has now entered into force with all terms and conditions having been met.

The 194 million euro contract is for a new passenger cruise ferry for service in the Baltic. Delivery is slated for 2020. The agreement includes an option for a second vessel

According to Viking, the new vessel will be a collaborative project. The plan is to engage a number of Finnish and other European suppliers.

Described as energy efficient, the vessel will be 218 meters in length and have a gross registered tonnage of about 63,000 tons. The passenger capacity will be 2,800, and the length of its cargo lanes will be 1,500 meters.

Viking said it will hire Scandinavian architects for the interior design, promising to provide “a brand-new passenger experience for guests.”