Hurtigruten Says Fleet Upgrades will Slash Emissions by 25%

Hurtigruten Group said green upgrades for its entire fleet of Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express ships—including batteries, shore power and biofuel—will reduce CO2 emissions by least 25% and NOx emissions by 80% as the Norwegian passenger vessel operator continues its journey toward totally emissions-free vessel operations.

Already fitted with shore-power connectivity to fully eliminate emissions when connected in port, the seven Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express ships will be retrofitted with a combination of technologies and solutions specially adapted for each individual ship, Hurtigruten said. The refit program is planned to wrap up by 2023.

"We are combining the best available technical solutions and cutting CO2 emissions along the Norwegian coast with at least a quarter. And most importantly, we are laying the foundation for introducing new and even more efficient environmental solutions as they are developed," said Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express CEO, Hedda Felin.

Hurtigruten Group CEO, Daniel Skjeldam, said, "Our goal is to operate all our ships and all our cruises completely emissions-free. While we get one step closer day-by-day, we cannot sit idle and wait for the technology to be in place. We are working closely with our partners do drive change, move boundaries while we at the same time utilize the best solutions available already today."

Three ships, MS Richard With, MS Nordlys and MS Kong Harald, will undergo a full-fledged transformation to battery-hybrid power, with installation of new low-emission engines and large battery packs. Kongsberg Maritime, which has been awarded the three-ship hybrid conversion contract, has partnered with Norwegian shipyard Myklebust Verft for the first battery-hybrid upgrade.

At the core of the upgrades, each vessel will be fitted with two SAVe Energy 1,120kWh lithium-ion Energy Storage systems, controlled via Kongsberg Maritime’s SAVe CUBE integrated drive switchboard. This single cabinet solution includes all frequency converters, drives and DC switching equipment necessary for the hybrid system, controlling all connected thrusters, saving space and simplifying cooling and installation.

"This is one of the largest environmental vessel upgrade projects that has been done in Europe," said Egil Haugsdal, president of Kongsberg Maritime. "The green upgrades of Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express’ ships represent a sustainable choice for their existing fleet."

Two new, energy-efficient Bergen B33:45V diesel engines will propel each vessel, equipped with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to ensure compliance with IMO Tier III regulations, and fully compatible with Kongsberg’s digital management solutions, including health monitoring. The delivery scope also encompasses reblading of the main propellers, new thruster motors, AC switching, safety and telegraph systems, in addition to full system integration and commissioning.

Shaft generators on the engines will supply electrical power, managed by a custom installation of the K-Chief 700 Power Management system. Data from onboard sensors will be collated and shared via the K-IMS (Information Management System) application and analyzed using Vessel Insight.

Geir Oscar Løseth, general manager sales, advanced offerings at Kongsberg Maritime, said, “Green shipping requires a holistic way of thinking. Optimal operation depends on many solutions working together to ensure that fuel consumption remains low. Every aspect of this project, from the equipment chosen to how it is integrated, installed and used, is equally important to achieving the final result.”

Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express will also introduce certified biofuel across its fleet as all seven ships return to service this summer. Another Hurtigruten Group arm, expedition cruise line Hurtigruten Expeditions, will also start trials with biofuel on selected ships and selected itineraries this year.

The green upgrades are the latest in a series of large-scale investment in sustainability and green technology across the Hurtigruten Group. Hurtigruten Expeditions has launched the world’s first battery-hybrid-powered cruise ships, MS Roald Amundsen, and MS Fridtjof Nansen. And this spring, Hurtigruten Expeditions is transforming MS Finnmarken to the battery-hybrid powered expedition cruise ship MS Otto Sverdrup, with large battery packs and advanced green technology.