Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has started construction of Viking Mars. The keel laying of the eighth ocean cruise ship for Viking took place at the shipyard in Ancona. The vessel will be delivered in 2022.
Viking Mars will be placed in the small cruise ship segment. As its sister ships, she will have a gross tonnage of about 47,800 tons, 465 cabins with accommodation for 930 passengers.
The Viking units are all built according to the latest navigation regulations and equipped with the most modern safety systems, including the ‘Safe return to port’. They also feature energy-efficient engines, optimized hydrodynamics and hull thereby reducing consumption, as well as systems which minimize pollution produced by exhaust gases, meeting the strictest environmental regulations.
Fincantieri started its partnership with Viking in 2012, trusting the shipowner who was entering the ocean cruise market as a start-up. Today, the cooperation which first began with an order for two ships, has reached a total of 20 units, including the order awarded to Vard for two expedition cruise ships and the options. This is an all-time record, the largest number of units built by a shipbuilder for one sole shipowner.
The first of the series, Viking Star, was built at the shipyard in Marghera and delivered in 2015. The other units, Viking Sea, Viking Sky, Viking Sun, Viking Orion and Viking Jupiter were handed over between 2016 and 2019. These vessels, as well as Viking Venus which will join the Viking fleet this year, were all built at the Ancona yard. The upcoming 9 units, options included, are scheduled for delivery between 2022 and 2027.