Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has received an order for two eco-friendly cruise ships from Swiss cruise line Viking, with options to add four additional vessels to its orderbook.
As disclosed, the new ships will be built according to the latest environmental rules and navigation regulations and will be equipped with modern safety systems. They will boast “all innovations made available by the ongoing cooperation between Fincantieri and Viking” for the development of eco-friendly fuels and sustainable zero-emission power generation systems.
Fincantieri said that the new vessels will be placed in the small cruise ship segment. Their gross tonnage will be about 54,300 tons and they will accommodate 998 passengers on board in 499 cabins.
The units are scheduled for delivery in 2030. Additionally, Fincantieri and Viking reached an agreement for four more vessels with deliveries scheduled for 2031 and 2032.
According to the Italian shipbuilder, the deal is considered large, which means that its value is between €500 million and €1 billion.
“ This new order represents another step forward in our collaboration with Viking, further consolidating Fincantieri as a global leader in naval engineering innovation. This agreement not only strengthens our order book, but it ensures further depth of work in our shipyards over the long term, positioning us at the forefront of driving the industry towards energy transition ,” Pierroberto Folgiero , CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri, commented.
The relationship between Fincantieri and Viking dates back to 2012, and their collaboration encompasses, as of today, a total of 22 ships, including the two purpose-built expedition units of the Norwegian subsidiary Vard.
To remind, in June this year, Viking contracted Fincantieri to build two cruise ships that also will feature environmentally friendly characteristics.