Through important makeovers, three Hurtigruten coastal vessels will be transformed to hybrid powered expedition cruise ships.
Equipped with battery packs and other green technology, the three ships will operate year-round expedition cruises along the Norwegian coast from 2021 on yet to be disclosed itineraries.
Hurtigruten will no longer be the only company to operate the coastal ferry service, once Kystlink steps in with its four new ships in January 2021. Hurtigruten has always seen this as an opportunity, especially now that the interest in expedition-style cruising is so big.
As they are transformed into expedition cruise ships, the current TROLLFJORD, FINNMARKEN and MIDNATSOL, will be renamed MAUD, OTTO SVERDRUP and EIRIK RAUDE.
OTTO SVERDRUP will have battery packs installed during a 2020 yard stay, with a letter of intent for the same battery installation on MAUD and EIRIK RAUDE in 2021. The battery packs will support the ships engines, and drastically cut emissions.
The three ships will also be equipped for shore power and will get substantially upgraded low-emission engines, complying with all known and upcoming regulations (Tier3).
