Viking and Fincantieri today announced details of the Viking Libra, the world's first hydrogen-powered cruise ship, capable of zero-emission operation. Currently under construction at Fincantieri's shipyard in Ancona, the Viking Libra is scheduled for delivery in late 2026. The company's next ocean-going vessel, the Viking Astrea, also under construction and scheduled for delivery in 2027, will also use hydrogen as its power source.
Classified as a small ship, like all Viking ocean-going vessels, the Viking Libra will have a gross tonnage of approximately 54,300 tons, with 499 cabins accommodating up to 998 guests. While considered a sister ship within Viking's award-winning ocean fleet, it will feature a propulsion system based partially on liquid hydrogen and fuel cells. This hybrid propulsion system will allow it to cruise and operate with zero emissions, enabling access to even the most environmentally sensitive areas. Thanks to Isotta Fraschini Motori (IFM), a Fincantieri subsidiary specializing in advanced fuel cell technology, the ship's state-of-the-art propulsion system will be able to generate up to six megawatts of power.
“From the outset, we have carefully designed our river and ocean-going ships to reduce fuel consumption, and we are very proud that the Viking Libra and Viking Astrea are even more environmentally friendly,” said Torstein Hagen, President and CEO of Viking. “Viking made the conscious decision to invest in hydrogen, a true zero-emissions solution. We look forward to welcoming the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship to our fleet in 2026.”
“With the Viking Libra, we are not only delivering the world’s first cruise ship powered by onboard stored hydrogen, but we are also reinforcing our commitment to the future of sustainable shipping,” said Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri.
As part of their commitment to sustained growth, Viking and Fincantieri also announced today the signing of contracts for two new ocean-going vessels to be delivered in 2031, and an option for two additional vessels to be delivered in 2033.
According to the committed order book, the company expects to receive 26 new river vessels by 2028 and 11 new ocean-going vessels by 2031. With these orders, Viking will have 110 river vessels in 2028 and 23 ocean-going and expedition vessels in 2031.
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