Image: Anna Wikman / Yle
More than 100 coronavirus cases have been diagnosed at the Rauma shipyard, with many other workers at the facility quarantined.
The deteriorating situation may end up delaying the completion of the yard’s Aurora Botnia ferry project.
Rauma Marine Construction CEO, Jyrki Heinimaa, confirmed there were delays in building the ship and that there is a risk work on the effort may be halted entirely.
Heinimaa noted that it was impossible to predict how the construction schedule would be affected, but confirmed delivery of the ship would be delayed if the coronavirus situation at the shipyard worsens.
Story continues after photo illustration.
Rendering of the Aurora Botnia, which is under construction at the Rauma shipyard.
Image:
Rauma Marine Constructions
The Aurora Botnia ship is scheduled to replace the Wasa Express ferry in early May, continuing to shuttle freight and passengers between the Finnish city of Vaasa and Umeå in Sweden.
If delivery is delayed, Wasa Express will continue to operate as it has, according to Peter Ståhlberg , CEO of ferry operator Wasaline.
The total number of coronavirus cases at the shipyard rose to 106 on Thursday, when 52 new cases were confirmed. About 350 tests at the yard were carried out on Thursday.