Viking has celebrated that the Viking Libra, the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship capable of operating with zero emissions, was “floated out,” marking a major construction milestone and the first time the ship has touched water. Scheduled for delivery in November 2026, the Viking Libra will spend her inaugural season sailing itineraries in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
“The float out of the Viking Libra represents another milestone for Viking and our continued partnership with Fincantieri,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking. “From the beginning, our approach to ship design has focused on reducing fuel consumption, and the Viking Libra is our most environmentally friendly vessel yet. Investing in hydrogen was a principled choice for Viking, offering a true zero‑emission solution, and we look forward to welcoming the world’s first hydrogen‑powered cruise ship to our fleet.”
The float out ceremony took place at Fincantieri’s Ancona Shipyard and is significant because it denotes a ship moving into its final stage of construction. The float out of the Viking Libra began when a ceremonial cord was cut that signaled water to flow into the ship’s building dock. Following a two-day process that will set the Viking Libra afloat, she will then be moved to a nearby outfitting dock for final construction and interior build-out. The ceremony was attended by Fincantieri’s Gilberto Tobaldi, Director of the Ancona Shipyard, as well as members of the Viking team, including Karine Hagen, Executive VP of Product, and Enrico Prunotto, Senior Vice President of Ocean Passenger Operations, who thanked the shipyard on behalf of Viking.
Classified as a small ship, as are all Viking ocean ships, the Viking Libra has a gross tonnage of approximately 54,300 tons, with 499 staterooms that can host 998 guests. While considered a sister ship in Viking’s award-winning ocean fleet, the Viking Libra will have a propulsion system based partially on liquefied hydrogen and fuel cells. This hybrid propulsion system will make her capable of navigating and operating with zero emissions, which would allow her to access even the most environmentally sensitive areas. Enabled by Isotta Fraschini Motori (IFM), Fincantieri’s subsidiary specializing in advanced fuel cell technology, the ship’s state-of-the-art propulsion system will be capable of producing up to six megawatts of power. The Company’s subsequent ocean ship, the Viking Astrea, which is also under construction and scheduled for delivery in 2027, will also be hydrogen-powered and capable of operating with zero emissions.
Pictures courtesy of Viking.
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