TRIESTE – Fincantieri has announced a new order from Viking for the construction of two expedition cruise ships, with deliveries scheduled for 2030 and 2031. The agreement also includes an option for two ocean-going vessels and is described as “very significant” in value—therefore exceeding €2 billion. The two new units will be sister ships to “Viking Octantis” and “Viking Polaris”, built by the Norwegian subsidiary Vard and delivered in 2021 and 2022 respectively. This time, the vessels will be built at Fincantieri’s Palermo yard and will support Viking’s expansion in the expedition-cruise market, particularly in polar areas and remote regions.
Each ship will be able to accommodate 378 passengers in 189 cabins and will be certified Polar Class 6, a requirement that enables safe operations in polar regions. The units are designed to sail the St. Lawrence River as well and to ensure high manoeuvrability and stability in rough seas. Technical features include a vertical bow, ice-strengthened hulls and U-tank stabilisers, which reduce rolling even at low speeds. The project is signed by the same architects and engineers behind Viking’s ocean fleet, with Scandinavian design, intimate spaces and areas dedicated to expedition activities.
The agreement also provides two options for ocean-going ships, both scheduled for delivery in 2034. The vessels will sit in the upper-premium ocean segment, with a gross tonnage of around 54,300 tonnes and capacity for 998 guests in 499 cabins. They will follow the technical standards of ships already built or under construction at the group’s Italian yards and will comply with the latest environmental and safety regulations. «This agreement with Viking represents a step of great strategic and industrial value for our Group. The decision to build these units in Palermo,” commented Pierroberto Folgiero, Fincantieri’s chief executive officer and General Manager, “further strengthens the yard’s role as a fully integrated production hub within our Italian industrial system, confirming the path of structural growth undertaken in recent years». This new order further consolidates a partnership launched in 2012 between Fincantieri and Viking, which today includes a total of 26 ships.
