Originally scheduled to set sail June 27th, Hurtigruten’s 530-passenger Roald Amundsen finally embarked on its revised maiden voyage from Tromsø, carrying 211 passengers.
After having arrived from Kleven Verft at its port of registry in Tromsø, the world’s first truly “green ship” underwent last-minute interior work before putting out to sea on a monumental cruise.
Roald Amundsen is the world’s first cruise ship to sail a stint purely on battery power. The ship’s amazing hybrid propulsion system is the first to allow for either diesel or electric power cruising. According to the ship’s Captain Kai Albrigtsen, the sleek Norwegian ship also has “fantastic’ seagoing capability and maneuverability. The Instagram below is from the Hurtigruten account.
Chief Engineer Jan Andreas Grønås had this to say about the battery propulsion system and using the battery capabilities as auxiliary backups:
“The use of batteries at peak load reduces fuel consumption and emissions by about 20%. As the load increases, the battery usage goes up. This is a much safer way to sail because it helps prevent blackouts.”
Roald Amundsen left the Norwegian city of Tromso in route to Hamburg via the North Cape, Kirkenes, and the Lofoten Islands. The hybrid ship operates mostly on liquefied natural gas, but she can be switched to battery power for up to one hour at a time. This hybrid operating capability cuts CO2 emissions by more than 20 percent compared to normal ships of a similar size.
Hurtigruten’s CEO Daniel Skeldam called the sailing a “new chapter in maritime history”, setting a standard “not only for cruising but for the entire shipping industry to follow”.
In August Roald Amundsen is set to become the first hybrid vessel to cruise the icy Northwest Passage linking Arctic Canada and Greenland that Roald Amundsen the explorer was the first man to navigate successfully in 1903-06.
The ship is equipped with a Science Centre, and all sailings are accompanied by teams of experts across fields like marine biology, geology, and the environment. Roald Amundsen also has three restaurants, an observation lounge and infinity pool. More than half her cabins have private balconies.