The Tersan shipyard has launched two of the four 15,800 gross ton cruise ship newbuildings Havila Kystruten has on order at the Turkish builder, the Norwegian company said in a statement.

Havila Castor and Havila Capella will be employed with their two sisters on the Norwegian coastal express run between Bergen and Kirkenes.

Both ships were due for delivery this month, according to Shippax Info, the Swedish ferry and cruise industry publication. However, Havila Kystruten CEO Arild Myrvoll said in the statement that the Covid-19 pandemic had slowed the construction work, but it looks likely that they could be delivered in the first 1quarter of 2021.

As the delivery of the two first newbuildings had been delayed, Havila Kystruten has received approval to use two replacement vessels instead on the service that is subsidized by the Norwegian government.

However, the demand for capacity on the coastal express service has been affected by the pandemic and the outlook remains highly uncertain, although enquiries from tour operators and travel agencies are brisk, Havila Kystruten said.