66 INTERVIEW Gerry Larsson-Fedde of Hurtigruten outlines to Rebecca Gibson how the Norwegian operator plans to achieve its goal of building and operating its first zero-emission cruise ship by 2030 Hurtigruten has an ambitious goal: to begin operating the world’s first zero-emissions cruise ship along the Norwegian coast by 2030. To achieve this aim, the operator is collaborating with a consortium of 12 maritime partners and research institute SINTEF to find the most promising technologies for powering the ship. Following a feasibility study, the consortium has produced concept plans for a fully electric 500-passenger vessel, which will operate using 60-megawatt batteries that will be recharged with energy derived from renewable sources while berthed in ports. The 135-metrelong vessel will also have 164-foot retractable sails with solar panels, contrarotating propellors, multiple retractable thrusters and an air lubrication system. It will also have a streamlined hull to reduce both energy consumption and air resistance, while at the same time increasing passenger comfort. “Our aim is to cut the total energy consumption of the ship by 50 per cent, compared to our current vessels,” says Gerry Larsson-Fedde, chief operating officer of Hurtigruten. “We’ve chosen technologies we think will realistically be ready to power zero-emissions operations by 2030, although many of them still need rigorous research, development and testing to confirm they can be safely and successfully implemented onboard a ship. We’ll spend the next two years doing this and then we’ll move on to the pilot stage.” Each partner in the consortium is dedicated to a specific research area. “Some of the organisations are investigating propulsion technologies, others are looking into battery production, hull design, sustainable design and circular practices, and the port infrastructure updates required to accommodate zero-emission ships,” says Larsson-Fedde. “We’re also exploring how we can make hotel operations more efficient because they currently account for up to 50 per cent of total energy usage on passenger ships.” Hurtigruten will also use an artificial intelligence-powered system to capture data about the weather conditions, currents, sailing speeds, the ports, and many other factors that affect how its ships operate. “We call at the same 34 ports year around, so we’ll be able to gather an A ship for the future Photo: VARD Design
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