By
Alice Chambers |
Hurtigruten Norway has launched its first battery-hybrid powered ship, Richard With, the first of seven in the line’s Coastal Express fleet set to be upgraded with battery technology and biofuel capability to reduce carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions.
Richard With has been fitted with new engines, propulsion systems and battery packages at Myklebust Yard in Norway. The bridge and wastewater treatment systems have also been updated.
The company has invested nearly €100 million ($96 million) to upgrade its ships with green technology by the end of 2023. They will be fitted with selective catalytic reduction systems to reduce the nitrogen oxide emissions and will make use of shore power at ports.
“As Richard With comes back into operation as a fully-upgraded ship, guests can sail the Norwegian coast on a quieter, state-of-the-art, and environmentally friendly ship, while enjoying a traditional experience unlike anything in the world,” said Hedda Felin, CEO of Hurtigruten Norway. “Becoming a green company means investing in efforts with documented effects, such as the ones we are doing now. As a result, by next summer, we will have three upgraded hybrid ships sailing the coast, and our entire fleet will be more energy efficient, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 25 per cent and nitrogen oxide by 80 per cent.”
The brand’s move to battery-hybrid power follows sister company Hurtigruten Expeditions' initiative to upgrade three of its ships to battery-hybrid power.
“This is one of the largest environmental upgrades of its kind in Europe, and the largest in Hurtigruten's history,” said Felin. “Our goal is to get to zero emissions, and the work to plan the next generation zero emission vessels has already started. Until that technology has been pioneered, we are investing heavily in giving our existing fleet a green upgrade with the best technology available today, but our plan is to have the first emission-free ship in our fleet by 2030, and we're working hard on achieving that.”