By
Elizabeth Robinson |
Kleven Yard has launched Norwegian operator Hurtigruten’s new Roald Amundsen during a float-out ceremony in Ulsteinvik, Norway.
The ceremony marks an important milestone in the construction of the world’s first ice-class hybrid-powered expedition ship.
The vessel’s new environmentally sustainable hybrid technology will reduce fuel consumption and demonstrate that hybrid propulsion on large ships is possible.
Roald Amundsen will now undergo final outfitting at the yard, before debuting in late 2018. The explorer vessel is set to explore Antarctica, the Arctic and Norwegian coast. There will be a full North West Passage crossing in 2019.
Construction for Hurtigruten’s second hybrid newbuild, the near identical sister ship Fridtjof Nansen, is under way at Kleven Yard.