July 26, 2018

Kvarken Link AB has invited four shipyards to provide binding offers for the building of a new ro-pax ferry. Three shipyards are European, one is Asian.

The deadline for the offers is 31 August 2018. A contract should be signed at the end of this year, latest beginning of next year. Delivery if planned for April 2021.

The Finnish Government will support the project with €25 million, and the EIB (European Investment Bank) will grant the applied loan when the contract is signed.

The Swedish Government is not interested.

The route Umeå (Sweden) and Vasa (Finland) is currently operated by Wasaline. The route is halfway the Gulf of Bothnia.