Swan Hellenic has announced the christening of its new vessel, the SH Minerva, at the Helsinki Shipyard during a small, private ceremony. The ceremony was presided over by godmother Johanna Mäkelä, Finland's first female professor of food culture and wife of Helsinki Mayor Juhana Vartiainen. Mayor Vartiainen was also present, along with Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito, Helsinki Shipyard CEO Carl-Gustaf Rotkirch, and other senior management.
The celebration comes after global supply chain disruptions and a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Finland, which led Swan Hellenic to make the difficult decision to postpone the start of the Minerva's inaugural season, choosing to cancel its first two cruises rather than risk compromising the highest levels of quality and safety. The SH Minerva is scheduled to leave the shipyard early next week.
At the christening, the Project Director of the Helsinki Shipyard, Jonas Packalén, commented: “We are delighted that this day has finally arrived, after the numerous challenges that have made our task anything but easy. Our special thanks go to everyone who has participated in the project for their tireless dedication and magnificent work.”.
Swan Hellenic's Managing Director, Andrea Zito, added: “I would also like to congratulate everyone in Helsinki for their impeccable work under challenging circumstances and for the stringent safety measures that have kept the SH Minerva in a safe environment at all times. The ship has been completed just 26 months after the contract was signed, which is a remarkable achievement. We are now looking forward to taking our guests to see what others don't, exploring in exceptional comfort and style.”.
