According to Norwegian ferry operator Hurtigruten Group, batteries, shore power and biofuel are at the core of a large-scale green upgrade of its entire fleet of coastal express ships. The company hopes that the result will be a 25% reduction in CO2 emissions and 80% in NOX .

In what Hurtigruten describes as one of the largest environmental upgrades in the history of European shipping, all seven of the fleet’s ships will undergo significant upgrades by 2023.

The ships will be upgraded using a combination of technologies and solutions specially adapted for each individual vessel. All the ships have already been fitted with shore-power connectivity to fully eliminate emissions when connected in port. Three ships – MS Richard With, MS Nordlys and MS Kong Harald – will undergo a fully fledged transformation to battery hybrid power with the installation of new low-emission engines and large battery packs.

Kongsberg Maritime has been awarded the three-ship hybrid conversion contract and has partnered with Norway’s Myklebust yard for the first battery hybrid upgrade. Kongsberg Maritime president, Egil Haugsdal, said, “For us, it’s rewarding to work with a company that shares our ambitious approach to technology and environmental issues. The green upgrades of Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express’s ships represent a sustainable choice for their existing fleet.”

“Our goal is to operate all our ships and all our cruises completely emission-free. While we get one step closer day by day, we cannot sit idle and wait for the technology to be in place. We are working closely with our partners to drive change and move boundaries while we at the same time utilize the best solutions available already today,” concluded Hurtigruten Group CEO Daniel Skjeldam.