EUR 1.7 billion contract to build four more cruise vessels

Italian yard group Fincantieri said cruise operator Viking has confirmed orders for four more cruise ships worth about EUR 1.7 billion. This new generation of ships will be designed for hydrogen fuel cells and will set a new standard for the industry, the yard said. They are the addition to two preceding vessels previously ordered and involve confirmation of four of six options taken in March 2018. The contracts have now been put into effect for the third and fourth ships. The companies also have signed the interim contract for the fifth and sixth units, subject to access to financing as per industry practice. Deliveries are scheduled for one ship each in 2026 and 2027, and two further vessels in 2028. The Viking ships will be built according to the latest navigation regulations and equipped with modern safety systems. As of today, the collaboration between Fincantieri and Viking has reached a total of 18 vessels of various sizes, including two purpose-built expedition vessels of the subsidiary Vard.