On November 24, Havila Capella arrived in homeport Bergen (Norway) as the first of the 4 new Norwegian coastal cruiseferries. However, the date for the first roundtrip voyage had to be postponed to December 12.
Additionally, the second ship is also delayed from the Tersan Shipyard (shipbuilder in Yalova, Turkey).
Havila Capella's Maiden Voyage/first roundtrip cruise was scheduled for December 1st but challenges, including the delayed departure from the Turkish shipyard, harsh weather conditions during the Turkey-Norway relocation, and extra bunkering mean that there is unfortunately little time to make the ferry and its crew ready for the planned date.
CEO of Havila Voyages, Bent Martini, said the schedule had initially been tight because of the aim to get into traffic as fast as possible.
He added the coastal express routes and vessels on the Bergen-Kirkenes route had been, and still were, a major part of everyday life for businesses and people along Norway's coast. They looked forward to offering "new, safe and eco-friendly ships that will provide good service to both travelers and those who will transport goods."
Tersan Shipyard reported construction delays on the second unit/sistership Havila Castor. The maiden voyage is currently set for April 7, 2022. The shipbuilder explained the delays with, among other things, "increased challenges associated with COVID both in Turkey and at the yard."