MS Roald Amundsen
CNS member Kari Rogstad was visiting British Columbia last summer when she had a chance to check out Hurtigruten’s new ship, the MS Roald Amundsen. It is the world’s first hybrid-powered expedition ship. She was very impressed by what she saw.
Hurtigruten is Norway’s “Express Route,” transporting passengers and some cargo along its coast, with 34 ports of call on its northward journey and 33 on its way back. If you want to experience Norway’s world-famous fjords, a trip by Hurtigruten is an excellent way to do it.
Hurtigruten came into existence in 1893 by government contract as a way to improve communications along Norway’s long, rugged coastline. Most ports north of Trondheim could not be reached by road at that time (and this was the case up until 1940), so the sea was the only means of access. Mail could take weeks to arrive in summer and months in winter before the advent of Hurtigruten.
According to the website about the new ship’s technology (https://www.hurtigruten.com/our-ships/ green-pioneer/#/portside):
The cutting-edge hybrid system consists of large battery packs that compensate for spinning reserve and aid in peak shaving. The extra electric power allows the engines to function at optimal levels, which in turn lowers fuel usage and CO2 emissions substantially. The ship also has the option to run just on battery power for limited periods of time. That means no fuel spent and zero emissions.
As an expedition ship, the MS Roald Amundsen travels up north and also down to Antarctica. Additional ships with the same green technology are now under construction for Hurtigruten.
Thank you Kari for suggesting this topic for Nordic News!