Expedition cruise line Hurtigruten has signs a multi-year deal with Norwegian-based Biokraft to supply liquefied biogas (LBG).
As a result, the ships will be powered with fuel made from dead fish and other organic waste.
In what is claimed to be the largest global contract to supply LBG to a ship operator, Hurtigruten and Biokraft have entered into a 7,5-year deal.
The biogas will be delivered to the ships on an almost daily basis.
“This is a large and significant move for Hurtigruten, for Biokraft, for green solutions in the global shipping industry, and most importantly, for the environment,” Hurtigruten CEO, Daniel Skjeldam said.
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Hurtigruten will replaceconventional engines with gas-powered engines and large battery packs on at least six of the ships by 2021. The hybrid ships will run on a combination of clean electric power, LNG and LBG.
“We are proud to partner with Hurtigruten and see this as a major step towards green and sustainable shipping. It is very encouraging to see that Hurtigruten once again proves their stance as the world’s greenest cruise line, setting an example by effectively being the company that is introducing biogas as fuel in the shipping industry,” Biokraft CEO, Håvard Wollan, said.
Renewable biogas is a clean source of energy, considered the most eco-friendly fuel currently available. It is already used as fuel in small areas of the transport sector, especially in buses.
“Norway has a long history as one of the world’s leading maritime nations and has been living off the oceans for generations. Currently, our oceans are under pressure from climate change and pollution. This is what we are working to change with dedicated partners like Hurtigruten,” Wollan added..
“What others see as a problem, we see as a resource and a solution. While other operators are running on cheap, polluting heavy fuel oil, our ships will literally be powered by nature. Biogas is the greenest fuel in shipping, a no-brainer for us, and a huge advantage for the environment. We would love other cruise companies to follow,” Skjeldam added.
The biogas deal is the latest in a number of Hurtigruten green initiatives. The company celebrated its 125th anniversary by banning all single-use-plastics. In addition, this year, Hurtigruten will introduce ‘Roald Amundsen’, the world’s first hybrid powered cruise ship, as well as a series of battery powered excursion catamarans.
The first delivery LBG to Hurtigruten is expected to take place in 2020.
