Viking has shored up four new ocean ships for its fleet with the Fincantieri shipyard. The new vessels will be ‘next generation’ ships and designed with hydrogen fuel cells that Fincantieri says will “set a new standard for the industry”.
The ships are part of an initial list of ‘options’ that were flagged by Viking four years ago. Two of those options now have firm contracts, while two others are subject to financing. The total value of the four ocean-going vessels is around €1.7 billion (approx. AU$2.5 billion).
These four new ships are slated for delivery in 2026, 2027 and two ships in 2028.
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Fincantieri noted that these ships, along with the two further options which remain part of the order, have been “developed in partnership with the shipowner a project based on the successful features of the previous ships, upgraded and revisited with the latest technologies”.
Currently, the partnership between Fincantieri and Viking accounts for 18 vessels, including the polar-class ships Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, which are being constructed by the Vard subsidiary.
Fincantieri added this latest conversion from option to firm orders confirmed “the recovery of the cruise sector, which is expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2023”.
Lead image: Viking Explorers Lounge