Another cruiser handed over by Fincantieri

On June 26, a new cruiser ceremony took place at Fincantieri shipyard in Ancona.Viking Vesta, built for Norwegian shipping company Viking. The event was attended by the president and CEO of Viking, Torstein Hagen, and the CEO of Merchant Ships Division in Fincantieri, Luigi Matarazzo. The unit will soon begin its first voyage commercial.

Multi-annual cooperation brings new results

Viking Vestais the 14th unit passed byItalian shipbuilding company FincantieriNorwegian shipowner Viking, including two expeditionary ships built in the framework of a cooperation that has been going on since 2012. Some of the contracts carried out concerned the construction of units in the shipyards of Vard’s subsidiary. The total potential for cooperation – including contracted vessels, signed contracts and options for finalisation – currently includes 28 units.

Viking Vesta belongs to a segment of medium size cruisers designed in accordance with stringent environmental standards. The designers included a number of solutions reducing emissions, energy consumption and noise generated. The unit has a gross tonnage of approximately 54 300 tons, offers 499 cabins and can accommodate up to 998 passengers.

Hydrogen drive on Fincantieri cruisers

Fincantieri and Viking announced the world's first hydrogen cruiser to be handed over before the end of 2026.Viking Libra, built at the shipyard in Ancona, will be equipped with hydrogen tanks stored on board, used for both propulsion and electricity generation. The same shipyard also creates a sister unit –Viking Astreathe transfer is planned for 2027. The vessel will receive the same zero-emission systems, allowing navigation in areas with special environmental protection.

Prospects for further expansion of the fleet

In October 2024, Fincantieri and Viking concluded another contract for the construction of two cruise ships with a delivery date scheduled for 2030.Contract value estimatedthe initial amount of EUR 500 million to billion. In addition, an option was signed for four further units, the construction of which is planned for the period 2031-2032.

All new ships are formed in accordance with the current maritime safety regulations and are equipped with high-performance gyms and pollution control systems. Fincantieri emphasises that cooperation with Viking is not only a continuation of long-term trade relations, but also a joint development of future technologies for sustainable passenger shipping.

Source: Finncantieri/MD

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