FACTFILE: Finnjet services sold cheap
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Silja Line, the owner of Finnjet, negotiated a quick deal for a six-month lease with Louisiana State University, with an option to extend it. The money came from FEMA.
Silja will not disclose the price that was paid, nor will LSU return calls, but industry estimates are that the ship was leased for 16 million dollars, or about 13.5 million euros.
If the estimates are true, it means that LSU got the Finnjet for a fairly low price, at least if the sum is compared with another ship that was leased for accommodation after hurricane Katrina.
The world's largest cruise shipping line, Carnival Cruise Lines, rented three of its vessels to FEMA for six months for 236 million dollars. The ships have just three times as many berths as Finnjet, but the price was nearly 15 times as high.
The high price paid for the Carnival Cruise Line ships has caused something of a stir in the United States. Both Congress and FEMA's own auditors are taking a look at the contracts.
FEMA also came under some criticism after the Greek government offered two cruise ships for free to house people evacuated from the storm, but FEMA did not even respond to the offer.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 12.12.2005
More on this subject:
 Finnjet houses Katrina evacuees
Helsingin Sanomat
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