By
Rebecca Gibson |
Technology group Wärtsilä is to provide a suite of systems to help turn Hurtigruten’s Finnmarken into a hybrid-powered expedition cruise ship.
This December, Wärtsilä will upgrade the ships existing engines with selective catalytic reduction technology to restrict nitrogen oxide emissions and also provide four Wärtsilä Nitrogen Oxide Reducer (NOR) systems. In addition, the ship will be equipped with two Wärtsilä Energopac systems, which feature an integrated propeller and rudder and use advanced hydrodynamic technology to optimise propulsion efficiency. Together, these solutions will reduce Hurtigruten’s emissions, fuel consumption and operating costs.
“We have enjoyed a good customer relationship with Hurtigruten for many years, and we are pleased and honoured to have been selected to supply our sustainable solutions to a company that is committed to protecting the environment,” said Cato Esperø, head of sales for Wärtsilä Marine’s service unit in the Nordics and Baltics. “The fact that we could deliver [International Maritime Organization] Tier III certificates for the total installation was a significant factor in the award of this contract.”
Following the conversion project, Finnmarken will be renamed and relaunched as Otto Sverdrup in honour of Norwegian polar expert Otto Sverdrup who was the first to ski across Greenland (alongside fellow explorer Fridtjof Nansen) and also captained Hurtigruten’s ships in between his own expeditions.
Hurtigruten will also convert Midnatsol and Trollfjord into hybrid expedition cruise ships.