Viking has taken delivery of the company’s newest ocean ship, the ‘Viking Neptune’, from Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona, Italy.
While identical to Viking’s other ocean ships, the Viking Neptune is equipped with a small hydrogen fuel system, making it what is believed to be the cruise industry’s first ship to test the use of hydrogen power for onboard operations. Viking is using the small system as a test to determine how hydrogen fuel could be used at a larger scale in future newbuilds.
Torstein Hagen, Viking Chairman said: “We are especially proud to welcome this newest sister ship to our ocean fleet, as it also marks a significant advancement in testing hydrogen as a future fuel for our vessels. We look forward to welcoming guests on board the Viking Neptune next week. She is the 15th new ship we have added to our overall fleet this year, another significant milestone as we continue the celebration of our 25th anniversary.”
Earlier in this year Viking Expeditions launched with the purpose-built Viking Octantis; followed by sister ship Viking Polaris In addition, this year the company welcomed eight new Viking Longships on the rivers of Europe, new purpose-built vessels for the Nile, Mekong and Mississippi Rivers, as well as another new ocean ship, the Viking Mars.
The Viking Neptune is classified as a ‘small ship’ with gross tonnage of 47,800t and capacity for 930 guests.
