Norway Explorer will undergo refurbishment and replace Midnastol on Norwegian coast in 2016
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Hurtigruten has purchased a new expedition ship for the first time in almost ten years.
Built in 2009 by Portuguese shipyard Viana do Castelo, the 7,025gt Norway Explorer can accommodate 320 guests in a total of 180 berths and will replace Midnatsol on the Norwegian coast when she heads to Antarctica for the winter 2016-2017 season.
Prior to sailing her first Hurtigruten cruises in 2016, Norway Explorer will be completely refurbished at a Scandinavian shipyard and will also be adapted to sail in polar waters. Hurtigruten will also make further adjustments to reduce the vessel’s fuel consumption and emissions.
“We invest in our fleet to ensure that Hurtigruten remains a world leader in sustainable explorer travels along the Norwegian coast and in polar waters, said Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten. “This investment gives us increased flexibility and opens great opportunities to enrich our guests' unique polar experiences. The vessel complements our fleet of expedition ships and also opens a window of opportunity to expand our service and offers at destinations such as Greenland, Svalbard and Antarctica.”
Hurtigruten’s expedition fleet now consists of 13 vessels.