The Digest | New Jersey Magazine
Issue link: https://magazines.vuenj.com/i/1068761
he company currently hosts a hey agenda of premium voyages to a slew of locations within Antarctica, Arctic Canada, the Northwest Passage, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Svalbard year-round. e addition is expected to cut emissions by sailing with electrical propulsion by several tons each year. e company's goal is to sail fully electric expedition ships through the Arctic and Antarctic in the coming decades. "With the great explorers deeply rooted in our history and heritage, Hurtigruten aims to be one step ahead when exploring the world. Our new ships will be moving boundaries for the technology, for the industry and for our guests," says Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam. Hurtigruten operates on a mission to provide safe, unique, active, and sustainable travel experiences that create lifelong memories. So, it comes as no surprise that the company commissioned two new hybrid-powered expedition ships in partnership with Kleven Yards from Rolls-Royce's marine division, Espen Øino (Norwegian naval architecture and engineering design firm), and Tillberg Design (leader of luxury cruise ship design in Sweden). To commemorate its prominent history, the brand named the ships aer two of the most influential Norwegian polar pioneers from the era in which the company first opened its doors: MS Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole, and MS Fridtjof Nansen, who led the first crossing of Greenland on cross-country skis. e ships are specially constructed and designed for voyages in polar waters and each vessel is expected to display 300 lavish staterooms. e ship's hull, strong enough for traversing ice, will span 459 feet, nearly three times the length of an Olympic-size swimming pool. Until now, the technology to construct an all-electric powered ship has not been available. e new expedition cruise ships are pioneering an uncharted path towards sustainability at sea. e MS Roald Amundsen and MS Fridtjof Nansen are the first of their kind to operate on a hybrid-powered engine. With an expert team at its helm, the ships showcase the latest in environmentally-friendly technology and state-of-the-art design. Sailing on electrical power alone provides guests the opportunity to experience nature and explore the polar regions in peace—without the background noise of loud engines. V U E N J . C O M 75