KfW IPEX-Bank finances river cruise ships for Viking Cruises

Frankfurt am Main (ots) - KfW IPEX-Bank is once again financing
the construction of river cruise ships for Viking Cruises, the
world's leading small ship cruise line with a fleet of 78 river and
ocean ships. Neptun Werft, a shipyard based in Rostock, has been
commissioned to build the new ships and additional options. The
financing plus the possible options is backed by export credit
insurance from the Federal Republic (Hermes cover) and encompasses
the Commercial Interest Reference Rate (CIRR). Details of the
financing and delivery timeline were not disclosed.

The new ships will be of the so-called Viking Longship design,
which uses the limited space of a ship as efficiently as possible and
features serene Scandinavian spaces, where every room is both
beautiful and functional, quiet and filled with light. Vibrations and
the resulting noise are reduced through the use of energy-efficient
diesel-electric hybrid engines. Solar modules on the roof help to
lower the fuel consumption of the engines, thereby contributing to
more sustainable operation.

Andreas Ufer, member of the Management Board of KfW IPEX-Bank,
appreciates the long-standing cooperation with the Meyer Neptun
Group: "This financing not only helps to secure important jobs in the
maritime industry in Germany. We are also pleased to further broaden
our long-lasting and valued business relationship with Viking Cruises
and support our customer in further expanding its fleet."

The largely identical river cruise ships will be built at the
Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock, as have all Viking Longships. Since
1997, Neptun Werft has been part of the Meyer Neptun Group, which
also includes Meyer Werft shipyard, based in Papenburg. Today the
shipyard employs 500 people and is one of the main employers in
Rostock.

The passengers of Viking Cruises are primarily from North America
as well as Australia and the UK. The fleet's operating routes focus
on Europe, in particular on the Danube, Rhine and Elbe rivers.
International trips are also offered in France and Portugal, as well
as in Egypt, Russia, China and Southeast Asia.

In providing the financing KfW IPEX-Bank is supporting the
resilient and profitable business model of a firmly established
cruise company while helping to promote the German and European
economy.

Contact:
KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH, Palmengartenstraße 5-9, 60325 Frankfurt
Pressestelle: Saskia Schall
Tel. 069 7431-1347, Fax: 069 7431-9409, E-Mail: saskia.schall@kfw.de,
info@kfw-ipex-bank.de,
Internet: www.kfw-ipex-bank.de

Original-Content von: KfW IPEX-Bank, übermittelt durch news aktuell