Hurtigruten Norway has initiated one of Europe's largest environmental ship upgrades. With modern technology, the rebuilt ships will cut CO₂ emissions by 25 per cent and NOx emissions by as much as 80 per cent.

With the upgrades, to be completed in 2023, guests can look forward to greener sailings on all of Hurtigruten Norway's seven Norwegian Coastal Express ships.

"This is the largest environmental upgrade in Hurtigruten's history, and one of the largest of its kind in Europe. This will make a real impact in reducing emissions in Norwegian waters. The fact that such an investment also leads to ripple effects in the local communities along the coast, is something we are very proud of," said Hedda Felin, CEO, Hurtigruten Norway.

Three of the seven ships will be converted to hybrid ships. The first one is MS Richard With, which is currently at Myklebust Yard in northwestern Norway, where the ship will be fitted with brand new main engines and battery packs. The same will also be done on board MS Kong Harald and MS Nordlys.

Three other ships – MS Nordnorge, MS Nordkapp and MS Polarlys – will also be upgraded, and have SCR facilities installed on board. This will reduce NOx emissions by a massive 80 per cent. The last ship in the fleet, MS Vesterålen, was upgraded with brand new engines and SCR facilities already in 2019.

“Our goal is zero emissions! But the technology is not mature enough yet, and we must do what we can to cut emissions with the best technology available today and extend the service life of the iconic ships we have in our fleet," Felin said.

MS Kong Harald will also be converted to a hybrid ship. Photo: Stian Klo / Hurtigruten Norway

Norwegian technology

Hurtigruten Norway has entered into an agreement with Kongsberg Maritime for the ships that will become hybrids. “This is one of the largest environmental vessel upgrades to be undertaken in Europe,” said Egil Haugsdal, President, Kongsberg Maritime.

“Hurtigruten Norway makes sustainable choices for its existing fleet. It’s rewarding to work with a company that shares our forward-looking approach to technology and the environment, and not least to work on ships that so many people have a close relationship with,“ Haugsdal said.

MS Richard With will return from yard 9 August. MS Kong Harald will then set sail for Myklebust Yard to do similar upgrades. MS Nordlys will follow, and in summer 2023 all ships in the Costal Express will be fully upgraded.

About the project:

• Kongsberg Maritime is responsible for design work and upgrades on the three ships that will undergo the largest upgrade: MS Richard With, MS Nordlys and MS Kong Harald. The ships will be hybrid ships with large battery packs and new Norwegian-made engines.
• Myklebust Yard is commissioned to do the upgrades of to the first two ships.
• All Hurtigruten Norway's seven ships will also be fitted with SCR systems that cut NOx emissions by a massive 80 per cent.
• All ships in Hurtigruten Norway's fleet already have shore power convertibility, eliminating emissions in ports with shore power available.
• The upgrades include several other small and large changes such as new propeller blades, hull optimization, new bulbous bow, new gears, generators, and new control systems.
• The large-scale upgrade means that all Hurtigruten Norway's seven Costal Express ships will have emissions equivalent to Tier III, the strictest international standard for NOx emissions.
• The upgrades also include the installation of state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plants to minimize emissions to sea.
• Hurtigruten Norway will also use certified biofuels on a large scale to cut CO₂ emissions.
• MS Vesterålen was upgraded with brand new engines and SCR facilities already in 2019.