SunStone Ships announced the signing of an agreement to build another two INFINITY Class vessels, signaling rapid adoption of the European designed, Chinese-built concept. SunStone President and CEO, Niels-Erik Lund, commented: "Our charterers are anxious to enjoy the advantages of our cutting-edge technology, like the Xbow design, along with the significant operating efficiencies offered by the INFINITY Class. So, we’re moving as quickly as possible to get them into the market.”
INFINITY Class Vessels are 104 metres long, and 18 meters wide, having a draft of 5.1 metres. They feature a passenger capacity between 130-200 and a crew capacity between 85 and 115. The Vessels are Ice Class 1A, Polar Code 6 and are being built with Safe Return to Port, Dynamic Positioning and Zero Speed Stabilizers. Current INFINITY Class new-builds under way include the GREG MORTIMER, scheduled to deliver August, 2019, the OCEAN VICTORY in September 2020, the OCEAN EXPLORER in March 2021, and the OCEAN ODYSSEY in May 2022. The OCEAN EXPLORER and OCEAN ODYSSEY both already have long-term charter agreements.
This contract is part of the ten-vessel Framework Agreement with China Merchants Heavy Industries. “We are very pleased with the development and the speed with which we are signing these new-build contracts,” stated Lund, “in addition to the five vessels already ordered, SunStone is in negotiations for additional vessels and it is expected that the remaining five options will be signed within 2019, so that ten INFINITY Class vessels will be built at CMHI, China.
