Standing on the deck of a Hurtigruten-ship is like being in the middle of a Nordic national romantic painting. Fjords, mountains, the scent of the sea, and, most importantly, the precious silence that brings you closer to nature. Norwegian fjords captivate travelers from both domestic and foreign lands.
Hedda Felin, CEO of Hurtigruten, shares that an ambitious initiative is ensuring that the traditional sea route along the Norwegian coast becomes both more environmentally friendly and quieter than before.
"Now you can sail the classic route along the world's most beautiful coastline, with fewer emissions and with state-of-the-art maritime equipment on board. And most importantly, you can enjoy the view without a loud engine hum."
The desire and need to transition to greener operations were the starting point for Hurtigruten's "sustainability push".
"Our motivation is always to reduce the carbon emissions from our fleet. We are part of an industry that has traditionally polluted too much, and the green transition has been slow. That's why it's crucial that we now take responsibility for our emissions and act on the things we can change today," says Felin.
The vessel has been equipped with a more modern and cleaner hybrid system. This new system can operate both electrically and on fuel and uses 20-25% less fuel than before. This optimizes operations and increases energy efficiency.
Good recycling of "old" ships
Kongsberg Maritime, in collaboration withMyklebust Verft, are behind the upgrades. There are several benefits to upgrading existing vessels, says Geir Oscar Løseth from Kongsberg Maritime.
"Upgrading a vessel this way is a much faster method of meeting environmental requirements than if a new one had to be built. The upgrade takes only four to five months and simultaneously extends the vessel's lifespan. This results in significant environmental savings."
"Keeping our fleet operational as long as possible is both economical and eco-friendly. It's more sustainable to upgrade a ship than to build a new one. It's good for the environment, for us, and for the guests who sail with us. It's crucial that future transport and tourism are sustainable."
CEO, Hurtigruten Hedda Fellin
Successful collaboration project
This project is one of the largest environmental retrofit projects in Europe. It was essential to have strong professional expertise to rely on, says Hedda Felin.
"There aren't many players who can undertake such a complex project. We have had a long and fruitful collaboration with Kongsberg Maritime and knew they could deliver on this."
Myklebust Verft handled the actual retrofitting of the vessels. CEO Lars Conradi Andersen is pleased with the collaboration.
"We've worked closely with Kongsberg Maritime throughout the entire process. They have the expertise in design technology and product solutions development, while we specialize in retrofit implementation. This combination has proven to be very successful," he says.
Geir Oscar Løseth from Kongsberg Maritime fully agrees.
"Upgrading a vessel built in 1993 to today's technology is a significant task. We depended on integrating all systems and, importantly, everyone involved in the project working as a team. The result was that we strengthened each other."
"Hurtigruten is proud to be part of a strong Norwegian consortium with Kongsberg Maritime and Myklebust Verft and contribute to propelling the maritime industry forward," concludes Hedda Felin.
Did you know
Hurtigruten is upgrading all ships on the route between Bergen and Kirkenes? Three ships will, among other things, become hybrid. This will reduce CO2 emissions by at least 25 percent and decrease NOx emissions by 80 percent.
Did you know
Hurtigruten's green upgrades, in collaboration with Kongsberg Maritime and Myklebust Verft, are one of the largest projects to date in Europe concerning environmental upgrades at sea?
MS Richard With converted to a hybrid ship.
The upgrades primarily focus on the latest in environmental technology, hybrid operation with large battery packs, far more efficient engines, and a significant focus on biofuel.
