Norwegian cruiseferry operator Hurtigruten announced a large investment in environmentally-friendly propulsion.
The company will repower as many as 9 of its conventionally-powered ships with LNG-fueled hybrid propulsion systems, together with Rolls-Royce. The agreement is one of the largest retrofit orders for LNG propulsion in the passenger ship sector.
The arrangement of Hurtigruten with Rolls-Royce includes LNG-fueled engines, hybrid power systems and battery packs for 6 existing passenger cruise ships, with an option for further 3. The upgrade will enable the diesel-powered vessels to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 25%.
The cruise operator was recently awarded licenses by the government of Norway for 7 out of 11 coastal ferry routes. A key requirement from the government was the reduction in CO2-emissions. The new contract for the coastal route begins on January 1, 2021.