Norway’s Green Yard Kleven has been awarded a contract to convert Hurtigruten’s ‘Finnmarken’ into a hybrid-powered expedition cruise ship.
Built at the Kleven shipyard in 2002 for the West Coast of Norway service, she recently returned to the yard to begin the rebuild.
“This is an exciting assignment for us and good news to be able to give to our employees,” says Kjetil Bollestad, CEO of Green Yard Kleven.” It is also extra nice that there are local suppliers who will be involved and perform much of the work.”
As part of the conversion work, the yard will undertake a technical upgrade, including the installation a Siemens hybrid propulsion package, which includes a battery pack to run in conjunction with the diesel engines.
In addition, the yard will also install new combined shaft generators and drive motors together with new frequency converters.
“It is a great advantage for us that both we and our partners know the ship from the time of construction,” added Bollestad. “We have many employees who helped build the ship, and it is the same employees who have recently built the two newest hybrid-powered expedition ships for Hurtigruten, ‘Roald Amundsen’ and ‘Fridtjof Nansen’. This provides a unique competence that will be of great help in the extensive rebuilding of the ship.”
While at the yard, ’Finnmarken’ will be renamed ‘Otto Sverdrup’, after the explorer who participated in several Polar expeditions.
Once redelivered, the ship will be operated by Hurtigruten Exploration as the company separates the cruise business from its traditional Norwegian coastal voyages.
Kleven expects to complete the conversion project in the spring of this year.
