Inside the 443ft lengthy Green cruise ship of the long run with wind and photo voltaic sails, battery banks and ‘sensible’ cabins
It may be a luxurious way to sail the ocean blue, but cruising has never been particularly green.
That might be about to change, however, with a zero-emissions liner on the horizon.
Hurtigruten, which has run trips along Norway’s coast for 130 years, is developing what may be the world’s most energy-efficient ship of its class – boasting wind and solar sails, battery banks and ‘smart’ cabins.
Cruising has a higher carbon footprint than air travel and the design will hope to tackle this issue with its ‘zero-emission propulsion’.
The ship, which the company expects to set sail in 2030, will be 443ft long and is set to have 270 cabins for 500 passengers. It will also carry cargo and those who want to travel to different parts of the coast.
Hurtigruten has partnered with SINTEF, a research organisation, to work on the concept.
Calculations show the design will use about 40-50 per cent less energy than today’s ships, which makes it possible to operate primarily on batteries as the main energy source.
Three retractable sails up to a height of 164ft will pull in air currents and be covered in solar panels.
Hurtigruten, which has run trips along Norway’s coast for 130 years, is developing what may be the world’s most energy-efficient ship of its class
The ship, which the company expects to set sail in 2030, will be 443ft long and is set to have 270 cabins for 500 passengers
The sails will also capture energy from the wind and use that to push the ship along, like a sail on a regular boat.
During the summer, the cruise will be powered by northern Norway’s ‘midnight sun’ which shines throughout each day.
Passengers will also be able to control energy use in their cabin through a mobile-phone app.
Hedda Felin, chief executive of Hurtigruten, said: ‘The Coastal Express has sailed the Norwegian coast for 130 years. For us to sail for 130 years more, we need to change the way we sail.
‘We are now upgrading our fleet, cutting CO2 emissions by 25 per cent. Still, for our precious nature and for future generations, we have to do more.
‘It will require a lot of hard work, a lot of investment and a lot of collaboration with very clever partners. But I know we’ll get there.
‘The cruising industry is a significant polluter and it is crucial that we now take major steps to reduce emissions.’
Passengers will also be able to control energy use in their cabin through a mobile-phone app
The sails will also capture energy from the wind and use that to push the ship along, like a sail on a regular boat
During the summer, the cruise will be powered by northern Norway’s ‘midnight sun’ which shines throughout each day
