Torstein Hagen's Viking Cruises is planning to build the world’s first emission-free cruiseship.

The 40,000-gt ship, with a capacity for 900 passengers, is to be powered by hydrogen.

Brokers tell TradeWinds they believe it will take up to seven years to complete the vessel as the project will involve new technology.

Hydrogen has yet not been used as a fuel for ships because of the challenges of keeping the gas liquid at exactly minus 253 degrees.

“This is a world sensation," said Norway's director general of shipping and navigation, Olav Akselsen.

"Very exciting. If they pull this off, a distribution network may be established, which will enable others as well to use hydrogen as fuel, and could contribute to a zero-emission shipping industry.”

The leading cruiseship yards, Fincantieri of Italy and Germany's Meyer Werft, could both take on such a contract, they add.

Hydrogen has many advantages over conventional fuel but the gas is highly explosive and that there cannot be any leaks. Its main use is a rocket fuel.

“As the new ship will fly the Norwegian flag, we must ensure that security is as high as on conventional ships. We think these are challenges that we can solve,” Akselsen says.

Project director Serge Fossati of Norway's Viking Cruises says the company is in contact with Statoil over plans to produce hydrogen on a large scale.

Several bunker ships to carry the fuel to the cruise vessel are also part of the project.

Hagen, who started Viking Cruises in 1997, believes the company can lead the development of environmentally friendly ships in the years ahead.

“The way to green ships is long but we have always wanted to be ahead of the game,” he said.

The company started with its River Cruise Line operation, setting up Viking Ocean Cruises in 2015 when it also launched its first ocean-going ship.

That was followed by a second vessel last year and two 930-passenger sisterships in 2017. A fifth vessel will be delivered in the new year and a further three ships by 2022.

This article first appeared on the TradeWinds website on Monday 2 October and was reproduced and updated on 4 October due to technical difficulties.