Swan Hellenic’s new SH Minerva was christened at the Helsinki Shipyard during a small private ceremony this afternoon with godmother Johanna Mäkelä, Finland’s first professor of food culture and wife of Helsinki City Mayor Juhana Vartiainen.
Mayor Vartiainen was also present, along with Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito and Helsinki Shipyard CEO Carl-Gustaf Rotkirch with top management from the yard.
The celebration follows global supply chain disruptions and recent spikes in COVID-19 cases in Finland, which caused Swan Hellenic to take the difficult decision to delay the start of Minerva’s inaugural season, preferring to cancel its first two cruises rather than risk in any way compromising the highest standards of quality and safety, the company said.
The SH Minerva is now scheduled to depart the shipyard early next week.
At the christening, Helsinki Shipyard Project Manager Jonas Packalén commented: “We are glad to see this day finally, following the many global challenges that made our task far from easy. Our special thanks to everyone involved in the project for their unstinting dedication and superb work!”
Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito added: “I, too, would like to congratulate everyone at Helsinki for their impeccable work in difficult circumstance and the tight safety measures which have kept SH Minerva a safe environment at all times. The vessel has been completed after only 26 month from the signing of the contract which is a remarkable achievement. We now very much look forward to taking our guests to see what others don’t, exploring in exceptional comfort and style.”
