Making another step towards green shipping, Norwegian expedition cruise operator Hurtigruten has decided to transform three of its vessels to hybrid-powered cruise ships.

As informed, the current MS Trollfjord, MS Finnmarken and MS Midnatsol will be equipped with battery packs and other green technology.

The trio will operate year-round expedition cruises along the Norwegian coast from 2021 on yet-to-be-disclosed itineraries.

Hurtigruten – which this summer introduced the world’s first hybrid powered cruise ship, MS Roald Amundsen – will thus add another three hybrid-powered vessel to its fleet of green cruise ships. In 2020, Hurtigruten will also welcome Roald Amundsen’s sister vessel, the 15,000-ton hybrid-powered vessel MS Fridtjof Nansen currently being built at Kleven shipyard.

“With these new expedition cruise vessels, you will be able to explore Norway like never before… Combined with groundbreaking green technology, these ships will truly stand out,” Daniel Skjeldam, Hurtigruten CEO, commented.

According to the company, MS Trollfjord, MS Finnmarken and MS Midnatsol, will be renamed MS Maud, MS Otto Sverdrup and MS Eirik Raude, respectively.

MS Otto Sverdrup will have battery packs installed during a 2020 yard stay, with a letter of intent for the same battery installation on MS Maud and MS Eirik Raude in 2021. The battery packs will support the ships’ engines and cut emissions.

The three ships will also be equipped for shore power, to cut emissions to zero when docked in ports with shore power facilities.

In addition, the three vessels will get substantially upgraded low-emission engines, complying with all known and upcoming regulations (Tier3).

Through the three single largest upgrade projects in Hurtigruten’s more than 125 years of history, the ships will be transformed into premium expedition cruise ships, carrying a maximum of 530 guests.