By
Rebecca Gibson |
Norwegian coastal operator Havila Voyages aims to become carbon neutral by 2028 and sail emission-free coastal cruises by 2030, according to its first-ever sustainability and human rights report.
Initially, the operator will focus on gradually replacing natural gas fuel with biogas to achieve carbon neutral status within the next five years. It will then switch to emission-free fuel alternatives, such as hydrogen, to reach zero emissions by 2030.
Havila Voyages estimates that both goals can be achieved using its four current ships, which already have battery packs that enable them to sail silently and emissions free for four hours at a time.
Operating the vessels in this way has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 35-40 per cent and emissions of nitrogen oxide and sulphur oxide by more than 90 per cent, compared to equivalent ships using traditional fossil fuels. This makes Havila Voyages’ ships the most environmentally friendly vessels to have ever sailed the coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes in Norway.
“Last year, we made history as the world's first cruise company to sail into the Geirangerfjord Unesco World Heritage Site emission free and silently, four years before the Norwegian government's requirement for emission-free ferries and ships in the World Heritage areas comes into effect,” said Bent Martini, CEO of Havila Voyages. “This is clear proof of our ambitions. We look forward to continuing our journey and doing our part to make tourism and shipping more sustainable.”
Havila Voyages’ report also indicated that the brand has achieved its aim to produce just 75 grams of food waste per person per day to reduce overall food waste by 60 tons per year. This has been accomplished by using locally sourced ingredients and serving all meals à la carte.
“It is very gratifying to report that this year we successfully achieved our goal and collect only 71 grams of food waste per person per day onboard,” said Martini.
Visit Havila Voyages’ website to download the full Setting sail on a cleaner course sustainability report.