Viking OCEAN's newest ship, Viking Mira, has been ceremonially launched/floated out from drydock at Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard on July 31st, signaling the vessel’s move into its final outfitting phase ahead of its scheduled spring 2026 debut.
The float-out took place around 11:00 a.m. local time, marking the first time the 54,300 GT hull touched water, and featured the traditional cord-cutting ceremony attended by Gilberto Tobaldi, director of the yard, and Gastone Lazzari, Viking’s new building site team manager.
Viking Mira will enter service in June 2026. The 1000-passenger vessel has 499 staterooms, and is slated for an inaugural Mediterranean and Northern European season, joining the 28-ship, Fincantieri-built Viking OCEAN fleet.
Torstein Hagen, Viking’s Chairman and CEO, described the float-out as a key milestone in Viking’s fleet expansion. He noted that, with Fincantieri, Viking has assembled an elegant fleet of small ocean ships and that Mira’s arrival will further enable the brand to offer immersive, destination-focused travel tailored to curious travellers.
Fincantieri’s Ancona facility remains central to Viking’s shipbuilding programme. The yard spans 360,000 m² and supports production capacity up to 60,000 GT, lifting infrastructure capable of handling 500 tons, and monthly hull construction output of 1,200 tons. Since 2009, the facility has delivered 20 vessels, operating under the Operations Excellence programme that incorporates robotics, AI and other advanced technologies to drive efficiency and quality.
As Mira enters final outfitting, her arrival continues Viking’s growth trajectory in ocean cruising. Hydrogen‑powered sister ships Viking Libra and Viking Astrea are already under construction for delivery in late 2026 and mid-2027 respectively, further reinforcing the expansion of Viking’s small‑ship ocean fleet.