Home Shipbuilding Hurtigruten unveils updated plans for its zero-emission cruise ship
October 11, 2024,
by
Naida Hakirevic Prevljak
Norwegian coastal cruise ferry company Hurtigruten has shared new renderings and updated plans for its Sea Zero project—the zero-emission ship scheduled to debut in 2030.
Rendering by Vard
With the help of large batteries, sails, and other innovative solutions, the vessel will be able to sail entirely emission-free during normal operation, while energy consumption could be reduced by 40-50%.
Hurtigruten initially announced its Sea Zero project in October 2022, and then unveiled its first set of renderings in summer 2023.
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Posted: about 1 year ago
As the research and development phase has continued since, a second version of renderings are now released and plans are even more advanced.
The ship concept was developed in the Norwegian city of Ålesund by Vard, one of Hurtigruten’s key partners in the Sea Zero project, and integrates several innovative solutions created in collaboration with partners from the Norwegian maritime industry.
Sea Zero is one of several projects from Hurtigruten that focuses on sustainable travel and industry solutions. Earlier this year, the cruise liner announced its initiative aiming to reduce edible food waste to zero. The company is currently also going through a major €100 million upgrade of its fleet that includes several ships becoming battery-hybrid-powered and technology that will significantly reduce both CO2 and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions by 25% and 80%, respectively.
“The cruising industry is a significant polluter, and it is crucial that we now take major steps to reduce emissions. Our goal is to have an emission-free ship in operation by around 2030. We are still in the research and development phase, but we have made significant progress,” Hedda Felin, Hurtigruten CEO, commented.
Calculations show that the ship will use about 40-50% less energy than today’s ships, which makes it possible to operate primarily on batteries as the main energy source.
Rendering by Vard
One of the important elements is the sails, which can be raised and lowered as needed. Preliminary estimates indicate that the sails could reduce energy consumption by around 10% over time. Additionally, solar panels will contribute another 2-3% in energy savings.
“We still see significant energy savings from having retractable sails with solar panels, but this requires thorough studies, including model tests to be conducted in the coming months. We have also changed the sail type to a more mature design already in use on cargo ships,” Gerry Larsson-Fedde, Hurtigruten’s Chief Operating Officer, said.
The type of sail being investigated is called OceanWings. These French-developed sails are already in use on the cargo ship Canopée.
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Posted: about 1 year ago
“As with all development projects, there will be adjustments to both the design and specifications along the way,” Larsson-Fedde added.