Going green - nine Hurtigruten ships to run on battery power
More green news from Norway: Hurtigruten and Rolls-Royce have signed a letter of intent to retrofit up to nine existing ships to run on LNG and battery power.
This means that almost our entire fleet will be hybrid ships by 2021. The LOI with Rolls-Royce means delivering technology, engines and battery packs for retrofitting at least six ships (with option for three more) to a combination of LNG (liquid natural gas) and battery power.
The upgrade will be completed before the new coastal agreement come into play on 1 January 2021. As Rolls-Royce say in their press statement: “Together with other new energy system installations, Hurtigruten will make its older ships work as efficiently and green as if they were new.”
- This is an investment in our future. It’s a historic day for the environment, Hurtigruten and the Norwegian Coast. The combination of battery packs and the most environmentally friendly and efficient gas engines available will provide a substantial environmental gain, said Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam.
Hurtigruten has been in close cooperation with Bellona (an international environmental NGO based in Norway) to make sure the new and chosen solution is the “state of the art” within technology and sustainable solutions. In addition to reducing emissions, the LNG power technology will contribute to improve air quality in all ports that don’t support shore power, the NGO says.
Hurtigruten wants to make sure our footprints are as gentle as possible, and our presence positive for both the places we visit and its residents. We are committed to preserving the wonderful areas we sail in.