Neptun Werft gets the nod for six Viking LongshipsNeptun Werft gets the nod for six Viking Longships

These additional Viking Longships will stretch 135 metres, are 11.45 metres at the beam and have a draft of 1.6 metres. Each can accommodate 190 passengers in 95 outside cabins; additionally, 31 cabins are available for the crew.

Equipped with diesel-electric propulsion, the vessels are tailored for operation on numerous European rivers including the Rhine, Main and Danube as well as Dutch inland waters.

Neptun Werft has already delivered 51 ships for Viking River Cruises of 68 river vessels built in total over the past 15 years.

Raimon Strunck, the yard's managing director, expressed his delight about the continuation of what he called an 'excellent partnership' with Viking. Strunck said the new order is an important contributor to employment for the yard and its suppliers.

Apart from the river newbuilds, Neptun will concentrate on the construction of Floating Engine Room Units for ocean cruise ships built at Meyer Papenburg and Meyer Turku over the next years.

As earlier reported, the first module was recently taken to Meyer Papenburg to be integrated into AIDA Cruises' first fully LNG-powered cruise ship, AIDAnova.

In addition to these projects, Neptun is currently finishing work on a double-end ferry tailored tor operation at Germany's North Sea coast. This ferry, Norderaue, will be delivered in winter.