Hurtigurten charts different course to MSC in pursuit of zero-emissions cruising

While MSC Cruises this month operated what is believed to be the first net-zero emissions cruise aboard the new MSC Euribia, the Norwegian cruise line Hurtigurten has released a concept design for a truly emissions-free ship.

MSC Cruises has achieved net-zero emissions operations aboard MSC Euribia for her delivery cruise, using bio-LNG and carrying no passengers. Hurtigurten’s design for a project it calls Sea Zero, calls for total elimination of emissions through a combination of sail and battery power.

It is the latest development in the industry’s ongoing quest for zero-emissions operations, which cruise lines see as imperative to their long-term viability. Passengers are increasingly concerned about the impact their vacations have on the environment and cruise line’s need to find ways of allaying these concerns.

Hurtigruten says Sea Zero is the result of a study of the most promising emerging technologies and a year-long design process with 12 maritime partners and the research institute SINTEF in Norway.

The ship concept will use batteries, retractable sails with solar panels, and AI technologies to achieve true zero-emissions cruising with passengers, and is expected to launch in 2030.

“Following a rigorous feasibility study, we have pinpointed the most promising technologies for our groundbreaking future cruise ships,” said Hedda Felin, CEO of Hurtigruten Norway. “We are committed to delivering a ship that surpasses all others in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability within just a few years.”

Sea Zero will be a small, custom-built ship that can operate sustainably on the Norwegian coast, where Hurtigruten operates vessels between Bergen and Kirkenes making up to 34 port calls.

The company, which has maintained the coastal service for 130 years since its inception in 1893, views Sea Zero as the first step toward transforming the company’s entire fleet into zero-emission vessels.

The particular needs of Hurtigurten’s coastal service have gone into the design of the ship, which will feature a cargo hold and space to transport a number of cars.

The 443-foot vessel’s streamlined shape will result in less air resistance and reduce energy use, while ample outdoor space, enlarged surface areas and windows will increase comfort for her 500 passengers in 270 cabins.

The ship will primarily rely on her sails for propulsion, but will also be equipped with batteries that charge in port. The ship will also be kitted out with solar panels, artificial intelligence maneuvering, contra-rotating propellers, and multiple retractable thrusters.

Additional technologies include air lubrication, advanced hull coating, and proactive hull cleaning.

A key challenge for Hurtigurten, and any cruise line transitioning to zero-emissions operations, will be the massive energy demand of hotel operations at sea.

Hurtigurten says it is looking to reduce overall energy consumption by 50 percent through AI technologies and an energy-saving mobile app that monitors and controls water and energy consumption.

All four of the world’s largest cruise companies, Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises have committed themselves to either achieving or at least attempting to achieve net-zero emissions operations by 2050.

The ‘net-zero’ descriptor is important as it means cruise line’s wont necessarily eliminate carbon and other GHG emissions, but will reduce them, while using carbon offsetting to get to zero. Offsetting refers to environmentally-friendly investments such as land restoration or the planting of trees that is used to compensate for emissions that occur elsewhere.

Carnival Corporation has stated an intention to reduce carbon emission intensity 40% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, while Royal Caribbean Group has a Destination Net Zero strategy to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and plans to introduce its first carbon-neutral cruise ship by 2035.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is also pursuing net-zero targets for 2050 across its three cruise lines, with a plan centered around three key focus areas: reducing carbon intensity, investing in technology and exploring alternative fuels; and implementing a voluntary carbon offset program.

MSC Cruises has published a Call to Action that includes three demands to enable zero-emissions operations: setting a target for zero emission shipping by 2050; deploying commercially viable zero emission vessels by 2030; and joint action by the private and public sectors.

These initiatives are imperative for cruise lines, as a large cruise ship can have an annual carbon footprint equivalent to 12,000 cars (when using conventional marine diesel or heavy oil). However, the cruise industry as a whole accounts for around 0.2% of all global carbon dioxide emissions, while the shipping industry as a whole accounts for about 2.9%.

The emissions produced by cruise ships are just one area of concern, however, as cruise vessels also generate huge amounts of garbage (up to one ton per day for a large vessel) as well as human waste, which isn’t always treated before being released into the oceans.

It is the latest development in the industry’s ongoing quest for zero-emissions operations, which cruise lines see as imperative to their long-term viability. Passengers are increasingly concerned about the impact their vacations have on the environment and cruise line’s need to find ways of allaying these concerns.

Hurtigruten says Sea Zero is the result of a study of the most promising emerging technologies and a year-long design process with 12 maritime partners and the research institute SINTEF in Norway.

The ship concept will use batteries, retractable sails with solar panels, and AI technologies to achieve true zero-emissions cruising with passengers, and is expected to launch in 2030.

“Following a rigorous feasibility study, we have pinpointed the most promising technologies for our groundbreaking future cruise ships,” said Hedda Felin, CEO of Hurtigruten Norway. “We are committed to delivering a ship that surpasses all others in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability within just a few years.”

Sea Zero will be a small, custom-built ship that can operate sustainably on the Norwegian coast, where Hurtigruten operates vessels between Bergen and Kirkenes making up to 34 port calls.

The company, which has maintained the coastal service for 130 years since its inception in 1893, views Sea Zero as the first step toward transforming the company’s entire fleet into zero-emission vessels.

The particular needs of Hurtigurten’s coastal service have gone into the design of the ship, which will feature a cargo hold and space to transport a number of cars.

The 443-foot vessel’s streamlined shape will result in less air resistance and reduce energy use, while ample outdoor space, enlarged surface areas and windows will increase comfort for her 500 passengers in 270 cabins.

The ship will primarily rely on her sails for propulsion, but will also be equipped with batteries that charge in port. The ship will also be kitted out with solar panels, artificial intelligence maneuvering, contra-rotating propellers, and multiple retractable thrusters.

Additional technologies include air lubrication, advanced hull coating, and proactive hull cleaning.

A key challenge for Hurtigurten, and any cruise line transitioning to zero-emissions operations, will be the massive energy demand of hotel operations at sea.

Hurtigurten says it is looking to reduce overall energy consumption by 50 percent through AI technologies and an energy-saving mobile app that monitors and controls water and energy consumption.