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Hurtigruten’s new hybrid battery powered expedition cruise ship MS Fridtjof Nansen will be completed earlier than expected. As a result, Hurtigruten is adding a series of shorter pre-inaugural voyages.

MS Fridtjof Nansen is packed with green technology and large battery packs and is, alongside her sister ship MS Roald Amundsen, the world’s first battery-hybrid powered cruise ship.

The groundbreaking expedition cruise ship is set for delivery by the end of 2019, well ahead of her April 1st inaugural voyage from Hamburg to the Norwegian coast.

– Pre-inaugural voyages are normally offered to specially invited guests only. We want to share the special occasion and give more explorers the opportunity for a first-hand experience of the incredible MS Fridtjof Nansen and our unique expedition cruises, Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam says.

Exclusive opportunities – unique destinations

Departing from London (March 7), Liverpool (March 12) and Portsmouth (March 17), the exclusive 5-night pre-inaugural voyages will take guests exploring hand-picked destinations in and around the British Isles. The hybrid powered ship will visit destinations such as Isles of Scilly, Fowey, Isle of Man and Dartmouth.

A 4-night voyage to the Norwegian capital of Oslo will take guests through the Kiel Canal and Aalborg in Denmark, from a spectacular departure point; London’s iconic Tower Bridge.

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW: REGISTER ON THE LINKS BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE EXCLUSIVE MS FRIDTJOF NANSEN PRE-INAUGURAL VOYAGES

Through the fjords – battery powered

Custom built as a small ship taking around 500 guests to some of the most spectacular waters of the planet, MS Fridtjof Nansen is currently in the final stages of outfitting on Norway’s Kleven Yard.

Over the past week, the ship has been undergoing sea trials off the west coast of Norway. With the Norwegian fjords as testing ground – and the famous Sunnmøre alps as a spectacular backdrop – the hybrid powered cruise ship’s advanced, green technology was put to a test. This included her battery packs.

– We are extremely satisfied with the results of the sea trials. In fact, she performed so well that we concluded the tests a full day early. Building on the experience we got from MS Roald Amundsen, we are confident in delivering one of the most advanced vessels in the world by end of the year. In cooperation with the Hurtigruten team, our employees, subcontractors and partners on Fosen Yards have all done a great job, Kleven CEO Kjetil Bollestad says.

Driving demand – and change

In addition to the exclusive pre-inaugural voyages, MS Fridtjof Nansen’s maiden season includes a series of cruises from Hamburg to the Norwegian coast, before spending the summer of 2020 exploring Greenland and Iceland. The 2020/2021 winter season she will join her hybrid powered sister ship MS Roald Amundsen for Hurtigruten’s signature Antarctica cruises.

– We see great demand for our expedition cruises across all markets and all destinations. With their green technology and unprecedented focus on sustainable solutions, MS Fridtjof Nansen and MS Roald Amundsen are not only driving demand, they are driving change in the cruise industry, Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam says.

The introduction of the world’s first hybrid powered cruise ships is the latest in a number of Hurtigruten green initiatives. Hurtigruten celebrated its 125th anniversary by banning all single-use-plastics. In another industry first, Hurtigruten is completely rebuilding existing ships to run on a combination of large battery packs, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and biogas (LBG) – produced from organic waste such as dead fish.