The ceremony was held at Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona.

The 54,500GT Viking Libra is equipped with a hybrid diesel-liquid hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system, which can allow operations to run purely on hydrogen.

The PEM fuel cell system was made by Fincantieri subsidiary Isotta Fraschini Motori, which opened an EU-subsidised manufacturing line in Bari, Italy, in 2025.

While specific details around the ship’s propulsion system have not been disclosed, Fincantieri said the hybrid system could deliver 6MW of power. Liquid hydrogen will be loaded and stored onboard using a containerised system.

With 499 staterooms, the vessel can host 998 guests, and is expected to be delivered to Viking in November. Viking has not confirmed where it will source hydrogen for the vessel’s operations.

Viking Chairman and CEO Torstein Hagen claimed the Libra was the company’s “most environmentally friendly vessel yet.”

“Investing in hydrogen was a principled choice for Viking, offering a true zero-emission solution,” he said. However, lifecycle emissions will depend on the hydrogen source.

European ship operators are facing growing pressures to decarbonise. Since 2024, vessels over 5,000GT have been covered by the EU emissions trading scheme (ETS), requiring them to pay for greenhouse gas emissions.

Hydrogen’s role in cleaning up shipping has become less clear in recent years, with many smaller coastal vessels opting for battery power, and larger ships looking toward hydrogen derivatives like ammonia or e-methanol.

In addition to the Libra, Fincantieri is currently constructing a second hydrogen-powered vessel for Viking, which is due to be delivered in 2027.