The newest ocean cruise ship “Viking Neptune,” which Fincantieri constructed for the shipowner Viking, was handed over today at the shipyard in Ancona. The device is situated in the section of a small cruise ship. She weighs roughly 47,800 tons and has 465 staterooms that can hold up to 930 passengers, like her sister ships.
The ninth ship in its class, “Viking Neptune,” represents a significant advancement in the long-standing partnership between Viking and Fincantieri for the development, construction, and operation of ecologically responsible cruise ships. In fact, the two businesses continue to work together to create ground-breaking technologies based on hydrogen fuel cells with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The first outcome of this collaboration is represented by “Viking Neptune,” which has a hydrogen fuel cell module installed as a test with a nominal output of 100 kW. This type of installation is crucial for fine-tuning technological tools and formulating policies on the usage of hydrogen on cruise ships.
In addition to their combined R&D efforts, Viking and Fincantieri have stepped up their partnership this year with the goal of developing large-scale hydrogen applications that will dramatically lower the ships’ GHG emissions. In order to accommodate the larger hydrogen tank, the fuel cell systems, and any necessary auxiliaries, the two businesses have first created an enlarged vessel configuration (to be used for vessels that will be delivered after 2024). The second step will be the creation of a hydrogen-based generation system, the greatest size ever tried on board a cruise ship, with a total power of roughly 6-7 MW, capable of ensuring smokeless port operations and slow steaming passage. Once completed, such systems might be put on boats being built as well as, to the extent practical, retrofitted on vessels that have already been delivered.
By working together on this joint initiative, Viking and Fincantieri hope to continue to be at the forefront of technical innovation and to aid in the creation of cruise ships that are even more environmentally friendly in the future.
