Havila Voyages will be able to take delivery of two new ships, Havila Polaris and Havila Pollux, thanks to a High Court ruling in its favour.
The Norwegian cruise line went to court in London in a payment dispute with subsidiaries of Russian leasing company GTLK over the ships, which are being completed at the Tersan shipyard in Turkey.
The ruling said Havila Voyages’ debt to GTLK, in connection with the construction financing and the planned leasing financing of the completed ships, will be released by settlement.
GTLK is one of the Russian firms sanctioned in Europe because of the war in Ukraine.
“The settlement of debt to GTLK takes place by payment to a frozen account in accordance with the sanctioning regulations,” said a statement from Havila Voyages.
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Bent Martini, managing director, said: “This is a good clarification for us, and states that we have the full right to take over Havila Polaris and eventually Havila Pollux, at the same time that we get to settle Havila Capella.
“We have been through a demanding period with a lot of uncertainty which has affected progress on the delivery of Havila Polaris, but we are happy that a decision has now been made.”
Havila Voyages postponed delivery of Havila Polaris pending the hearing in London and the court order.
The ship will now be delivered to the shipping company this weekend and will sail home to Norway “as soon as possible”.
Martini said: “It’s starting to become time-critical to get the start-up on schedule on December 29, but we turned around Havila Castor in Bergen in five days and can do it again.
“At the same time, it will have to happen over the Christmas period, and we are dependent on our suppliers to finish the work on Havila Polaris when she has returned home.
“We now need some time to find out where we stand and how much we will be able to do in Bergen after the ship arrives there and will give an update on when Havila Polaris will start operations along the Norwegian coast as soon as is possible.”