Vodohod, a Russian river cruise line, has ordered a pair of expedition cruise ships from Helsinki Shipyard.

The deal was signed last week and the ships will be delivered in August 2021 and January 2022, according to a statement.

The yard was recently sold to a new owner, Algador Holdings. The company is owned by Rishat Bagautdinov and Vladimir Kasyanenko, who also own Vodohod.

The vessels will have capacity for 148 guests and are being built at a cost of $115 million each. 

“We are very proud and happy for the first order of the new shipyard and I believe this now proves to everyone that we have started a new chapter in the operation of Helsinki Shipyard. We will strengthen especially our design department in the near future and in connection with the start of production,” said Carl-Gustaf Rotkirch, CEO of Helsinki Shipyard Oy, in a prepared statement. 

Vodohod owns and operates 25 river cruise boats, nine speed boats, and five pleasure boats, all on Russian waterways.

Cruise Industry News first reported on a Russian expedition newbuilding program earlier this year.