Norwegian shipping company Havila Voyages, has announced the delivery of their two coastal cruise ships Havila Polaris and Havila Pollux, doubling their fleet to four vessels.

The Havila Voyages fleet was constructed at the Tersan shipyard in Turkey, where they remain until their first voyage. The delivery marks the end of long delays to the ship building.

The Havila Polaris is planned to begin operations on 17 August from Bergen and will be the first ship to depart the Tersan Shipyard. Soon after, Havila Polaris will take the same route on 23 August.

Havila Voyages CEO Bent Martini highlighted the appreciation for the work put in across the Shipyard: "We want to thank Tersan Shipyard for their excellent cooperation and great understanding of our challenges over the last few years. They have built four fantastic ships and without them, as well as other suppliers and partners, we would not be standing here today”.

"In addition, we have had our own employees down here in Turkey throughout the entire process. Having our own people close by has been absolutely crucial for us, and I thank each and every one of them for their dedication and hard work."

According to Havila, its fleet features energy-efficient designs which are set to maintain the varied conditions across the Norwegian coastline.

The ship's propulsion is a hybrid system, powered by a mix of 86t battery packs and liquefied natural gas.

The battery packs may be charged using clean Norwegian power while the ships are moored, comparing using standard fossil fuels, this cuts CO₂ emissions by up to 35% and local emissions (NOx and SOx) by 90%.

Furthermore, Havila has stated that its fleet features the most environmentally friendly ships to have ever operated the historic coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes.