For decades, the Norwegian expedition cruise company, Hurtigruten, has used custom-built expedition ships to take adventure travelers from the Arctic to the Antarctic.
But in an effort to be more environmentally-friendly, the company will be launching the world’s first hybrid battery powered cruise ship, the MS Roald Amundsen, in 2019.
The use of hybrid technology will result in a 20 percent reduction in fuel consumption. The ship will have a reduced carbon dioxide emission of 3,200 metric tons per year, which is equal to the yearly emissions of 2,770 new cars.
A sister ship, the MS Fridtjof Nansen, will be launched in 2020 and a third hybrid-powered expedition vessel will be added to the fleet in 2021.
Built in Norway, the ships will be 459 feet long and carry about 600 passengers.
Hurtigruten currently has a fleet of 17 expedition ships that take passengers to Antarctica, South America, Norway, Svalbard, Greenland, the Northwest Passage and other Arctic destinations.
Hurtigruten is not new to green efforts. The company plans to power its cruise ships with liquified biogas made from dead fish and it was the first cruise line to announce that it will eliminate single-use plastic from its vessels.
You can read more about the hybrid cruise ships here.
