By
Rebecca Gibson |
Rolls-Royce has signed a £25 million contract to design and ship equipment to two of Hurtigruten’s new polar cruise vessels.
Contracted by Norwegian shipbuilding company Kleven, Rolls-Royce will design the vessels with a wave piercing bow and also supply an integrated package of technology and equipment. These will include the Rolls-Royce Unified Bridge, which will provide a more ‘comfortable, clutter-free and ultimately more safe and efficient working environment’ for the captain and his team on the bridge.
The agreement could be extended to cover another two vessels.
“Hurtigruten and Kleven have agreed to build state-of the art passenger vessels, and Rolls-Royce will provide some of the most innovative ship technology on the market today,” said Helge Gjerde, director of Offshore and Merchant Solutions at Rolls-Royce. “I’m confident that these new polar cruise vessels will bring the proud heritage of the Hurtigruten into a similarly proud future.”
Norwegian operator Hurtigruten has ordered up to four new explorer ships, marking the largest investment Hurtigruten has made in its 120-year history and the first newbuild order in more than a decade. The order covers two vessels with the option for two more. They will debut in 2018-2019.
The newbuilds will be designed to operate in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, as well as along the Norwegian coastline. They will be equipped with advanced environmentally friendly technology to reduce emissions and help Hurtigruten meet its sustainability goals.
“The ships soon about to take shape in the docks of Kleven will be striking,” said Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten. “They will attract interest to both the Norwegian shipbuilding industry and to Hurtigruten as a leading player within the field of explorer tourism. To me, this contract is proof of the combined innovation powers of Norway’s maritime industry and the country’s growing tourism industry. Together we are providing growth along the long and beautiful Norwegian coastline.”