Roald Amundsen News

Cruise operator Hurtigruten Norway has unveiled early concept plans for its first zero-emission ship.Initially announced in March 2022, under project name ‘Sea Zero,’ the ship is being touted as "the world’s most energy-efficient cruise ship". Tasked with developing energy-efficient and carbon-neutral technology solutions, Hurtigruten Norway and its consortium of 12 maritime partners and research institute SINTEF shared key findings following its first year of research."When we initially announced the ‘Sea Zero’ project over a year ago…

Hurtigruten Norway announced it has launched its first environmentally-upgraded battery-hybrid powered ship as part of a €100 million seven vessel refit program aimed at significantly reducing both CO2 and NOx emissions.MS Richard With has gone through extensive upgrades, having been retrofitted with two large battery packs (1,120kWh each) and new, more efficient Norwegian-made engines and new propulsion systems at Myklebust Yard in northwestern Norway. The vessel also received new switchboards and power management systems…

Norwegian cruise and travel operator Hurtigruten Group will cut short a voyage in the Antarctica region following an outbreak of the coronavirus, the company said on Thursday.Ten people on board the MS Roald Amundsen cruise vessel had tested positive for COVID-19, and the ship will return to port in Chile two days ahead of schedule, said a spokesperson for Hurtigruten Expeditions, a subsidiary of Hurtigruten Group.The ship, carrying some 362 passengers and crew, had set out for…

Hurtigruten Expeditions’ new battery-hybrid powered MS Fridtjof Nansen has made history with the northernmost naming ceremony for a passenger ship—at the location where expedition cruising began in 1896.At latitude 78˚ North in Longyearbyen, Svalbard—often dubbed “next to the North Pole”—the local community joined the celebrations of one of the world’s greenest and most advanced cruise ships.“We are thrilled to celebrate more than 125 years of exploration and adventure travel where it all began.

When MS Otto Sverdrup departed Hamburg, Germany, on itsmaiden voyage on August 24, Hurtigruten marked off three milestones: Introduction of Hurtigruten Expeditions’ third battery-hybrid powered cruise ship; Introduction of the first year-round expedition cruises from Germany; and a return of expedition cruises after more than a year of pandemic pause.Since the very first expedition cruise in 1896, Hurtigruten Expeditions has helped to define the expedition cruise category, with today a growing fleet of smaller…

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…

On Sunday the first major cruise ship to take to the Mediterranean in almost five months sailed out of the Italian city of Genoa. Passengers on the MSC Grandiosa were tested for coronavirus before stepping on board. The ship—which has brought in an array of strict measures to limit the spread of the virus—will stop at three Italian ports and the Maltese capital Valletta in a seven-day voyage. But will these measures be enough to help the sector survive the pandemic? A lot is riding on the success of this Italian cruise.After all…

The cruise industry has voluntarily suspended U.S. cruises until at least October 31, a month beyond the no-sail order date set by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."We believe it is prudent at this time to voluntarily extend the suspension of U.S. ocean-going cruise operations to October 31," trade group Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said in a statement on Wednesday.CLIA represents more than 95% of global cruise capacity, including the world's largest cruise lines such as Carnival Corp…

Norway stopped all cruise ships with more than 100 people on board from disembarking at its ports from Monday, after an outbreak of COVID-19 was reported late last week on a ship that had already disembarked at the port of Tromsoe.At least 41 passengers and crew who were on board the cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen, operated by Norwegian company Hurtigruten, have so far tested positive for the coronavirus, while hundreds more on board were told to self-isolate for 10 days, local public health officials said on Sunday.Norway is in touch with Germany…

Norwegian cruise line Hurtigruten is halting all its so-called expedition cruises until further notice following an outbreak of COVID-19 on one of its vessels last week, the company said on Monday.At least 41 passengers and crew from the MS Roald Amundsen have so far tested positive for the coronavirus, while hundreds more have been told to self-isolate for 10 days, public health officials said.“A preliminary evaluation shows a breakdown in several of our internal procedures,” Chief Executive Daniel Skjeldam said in a statement.“Our own failure…

At least 40 passengers and crew from a luxury cruise liner have tested positive for COVID-19 and the authorities are still trying to trace a number of passengers from two recent Arctic voyages, public health officials in Norway said on Sunday.Four crew members on the MS Roald Amundsen were hospitalized on Friday when the ship arrived at the port of Tromsoe, and later diagnosed with the respiratory illness. Tests showed another 32 of the 158 staff were also infected.While the crew was quarantined on the ship…

Four crew members on a Norwegian cruise vessel were diagnosed with COVID-19 after it arrived at the Arctic port of Tromsoe early on Friday, said the University Hospital of North Norway where they are being treated.All 160 crew members on the Roald Amundsen have been quarantined on the ship, while the 177 passengers - all of whom have already disembarked - are being contacted by telephone and are being told to self-isolate, operator Hurtigruten said.“By the time we were notified, the passengers had left the ship,” Tromsoe municipality chief doctor Kathrine Kristoffersen told a news conference.

MS Roald Amundsen, a battery-hybrid powered expedition cruise ship operated by Hurtigruten, has been exploring waters further south than any ship operated by the line in its 127-year history.The world's first hybrid electric-powered expedition ship crossed the Antarctic Circle and kept going, reaching the ice edge at 70 degrees south on Wednesday at 4:14 p.m. on February 19th Antarctica time."Our guests are thrilled! This is what Hurtigruten's expedition cruises are all about, pushing new frontiers and creating unique experiences for guests from all over the world. We are following in the footsteps of polar hero Roald Amundsen himself…

Hurtigruten’s new hybrid battery powered expedition cruise ship MS Fridtjof Nansen has completed sea trials and will be completed earlier than expected. As a result, Hurtigruten is adding a series of shorter pre-inaugural voyages.MS Fridtjof Nansen is packed with green technology and large battery packs and is, alongside her sister ship MS Roald Amundsen, the world’s first battery-hybrid powered cruise ship.The Vessel is set for delivery by the end of 2019, well ahead of her April 1 inaugural voyage from Hamburg to the Norwegian coast.Departing from London (March 7)…

The world's first hybrid electric-powered expedition ship and newest member of the Hurtigruten fleet, MS Roald Amundsen, was officially named in Antarctica.The ceremony took place in Chiriguano Bay on Brabant Island - and instead of a traditional champagne bottle, godmother Karin Strand opted for a chunk of ice.According to the Norwegean cruise company, the ship will offer itineraries across the Antarctic. It was named after iconic polar explorer Roald Amundsen who led the first expeditions to the likes of the Northern Passage, the South Pole, and the first proven expedition to have reached the North Pole."We could not think of a better location than Antarctica to name MS Roald Amundsen," said Daniel Skjeldam, chief executive officer of Hurtigruten.

Norwegian shipping company Hurtigruten has announced a partnership between Hurtigruten’s land-based adventure travel company Hurtigruten Svalbard, and the Finnish start-up company, Aurora Powertrains.The agreement is an industry first for snowmobiles, and starts a new era of silent and emission-free exploration by snowmobiling.“Exploring some of the most pristine areas of our planet has never been eco-friendlier. We firmly believe the future of travel is emission-free. Introducing electrical solutions in our land-based operations and activities is a major step in this direction; with the introduction of eSleds, Hurtigruten Svalbard once again leads the way with groundbreaking green technology…

Norwegian cruise, ferry and cargo operator Hurtigruten announced that its new expedition cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen became the first battery-hybrid powered ship to ever traverse the legendary Northwest Passage last week.As MS Roald Amundsen arrived in Nome, Alaska on September 10, 2019, Captain Kai Albrigtsen made a monumental entry in the ship’s logbook: The first complete crossing of the more than 3,000 nautical miles passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, by hybrid propulsion.“Every expedition cruise with Hurtigruten is unique, yet this green milestone is literally making history with our guests. Only a few years ago, building cruise ships with battery packs was considered impossible…

This week, Hurtigruten’s expedition cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen wrote a new chapter in exploration history – the first battery-hybrid powered ship to traverse the Northwest Passage.As the MS Roald Amundsen arrived Nome, Alaska, in the evening of September 10, captain Kai Albrigtsen could make a monumental entry in the ship’s logbook: The first complete passage of the more than 3.000 nautical miles passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, by hybrid propulsion."Every expedition cruise with Hurtigruten is unique, yet this green milestone is literally making history with our guests.

While nothing lasts forever, the cruise industry – and particularly the ‘expedition’ cruise sector – remain on a historic run with no indication of a near-term slowdown.The leisure travel sector, of which expedition cruising is a part, offers numerous possibilities for delivering new “experiences” unlike industrial shipping businesses (or even conventional ferry and passenger transport), which can only grow as fast as the demand in a particular sector.Though there is no precise definition of “expedition”…

Three vessels lined up for large-scale makeovers will be transformed to hybrid powered expedition cruise ships, owner and operator Hurtigruten announced.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.This means Hurtigruten – which this summer introduced hybrid powered cruise ship, MS Roald Amundsen – will add another three hybrid powered vessels to its fleet of cruise ships.As they are transformed into full-fledged premium expedition cruise ships…

Hybrid powered expedition cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen continues to make history – as Hurtigruten has announced the first ever ship naming ceremony in Antarctica. Instead of the traditional bottle of champagne, MS Roald Amundsen’s explorer heritage will be honored by naming the vessel with a chunk of ice.The naming ceremony will take place this fall, as the first world’s first hybrid powered cruise ship makes her way to the white continent on her maiden Antarctica voyage."We…

ALMACO has supplied the galley equipment and provision stores onboard the new expedition ship Roald Amundsen, named after the famous Norwegian polar explorer, delivered this past June. This was the first of Hurtigruten’s new nature-oriented, explorer-type ships, which are the world’s first hybrid power using a battery system being built in Kleven Verft at their Ulsteinvik yard. The second vessel, Fridtjof Nansen, is scheduled for a 2020 delivery with additional options for two further vessels…

Building on its 125-year heritage, Norwegian shipowner Hurtigruten has become a leader in exploration travel offering voyages to more than 200 unique destinations in more than 30 countries ranging across the globe from the Arctic to the Antarctic and including cruises in Norway, Greenland, Svalbard, Iceland, Western Europe, and the Americas. In an interview with Maritime Reporter and Engineering News, Dan Skjeldam, the company’s CEO, emphasizes the need for the cruise industry…