By
Alex Smith |
Fincantieri has secured an order from Viking to build two expedition vessels and signed an agreement covering options for two additional ocean ships. The agreements, subject to financing and customary terms and conditions, are valued at more than €2 billion ($2.32 billion).
The expedition vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2030 and 2031. They will be sister ships to Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, which were built by Fincantieri’s Norwegian subsidiary Vard and delivered in 2021 and 2022. The new ships will be constructed at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Palermo, Italy, and will support Viking’s expansion in the expedition cruise segment.
Each vessel will accommodate 378 guests in 189 staterooms and will be certified to Polar Class 6 for operations in polar regions. They are being designed for voyages in remote areas and on the St. Lawrence River, with features intended to enhance manoeuvrability and stability in challenging conditions.
Design elements include straight bows, extended hulls and fin stabilisers, while ice-strengthened structures will support navigation in ice-prone waters. U-tank stabilisers will reduce rolling when the ship is stationary. The vessels are being developed by the same naval architects and engineers responsible for Viking’s ocean fleet and will incorporate Scandinavian design elements, compact public spaces and facilities tailored for expedition operations.
The agreement also includes options for two ocean ships scheduled for delivery in 2034. These vessels will follow the design philosophy and technical standards used across Viking’s existing ocean fleet built or under construction at Fincantieri’s Italian shipyards. Each ship is expected to have a gross tonnage of around 54,300, capacity for 998 guests in 499 cabins and will comply with the latest environmental and navigation regulations while incorporating modern safety systems.
“This agreement with Viking represents a development of strong, strategic and industrial value for our Group,” said Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and managing director of Fincantieri. “The decision to build these vessels in Palermo further consolidates the shipyard’s role as a fully integrated production centre within our Italian industrial system, confirming the structural growth path undertaken in recent years.”
The order extends a partnership between Fincantieri and Viking that began in 2012 and now covers a total of 26 ships.