The world’s first hydrogen-powered ship was floated out recently at the Ancona Shipyard in Italy, completing a major milestone in its construction process. Built by Viking, the ship, christened Viking Libra, can host 998 guests and is scheduled for delivery in November this year.
The switch to electrification for major means of transportation has been limited to land vehicles. While cars and trucks have switched to electrification thanks to onboard battery storage, it has proven difficult to electrify long-haul transport by rail, air, and sea.
Onboard battery storage does not have the same energy density as fossil fuels; therefore, efforts are underway to power longer haul transport with hydrogen and fuel cells instead. Since fuel cells produce only water as a byproduct and emit no carbon, hydrogen is touted as the clean fuel of the future.
Viking Libra
“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.” explained Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking in a press release. Viking teamed up with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for this project.
Viking Libra is classified as a small ship with a gross tonnage of 54,300 tons. Its propulsion system is partially based on liquefied hydrogen and fuel cells. This allows it to operate with zero emissions and is navigable in environmentally sensitive areas.
The advanced fuel cell technology is designed by Isotta Fraschini Motori, a subsidiary of Fincantieri and generates about six megawatts of power.
“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,” Hagen added in the press release.
Libra meets water for the first time
Libra’s float-out ceremony concluded recently at Fincantieri’s Ancona Shipyard, where a ceremonial cord was cut, allowing water to flow into the ship’s building dock. This indicates that the ship has entered the final stage of construction.