All transport sectors are turning towards more ecological and environmentally friendly propulsion alternatives since, according to data from various international organizations, internal combustion means of transport are responsible for most of the air pollution in cities .
Nor are maritime vessels exempt from this responsibility, which, according to the WHO, emit more than 18% of the NOx particles (nitrogen oxides) that are suspended in the air and almost 3% of global emissions caused by man. . The nautical industry also seeks to reduce with renewable energy sources, not only pollution, but also other environmental impacts such as water pollution or noise.
One of the companies that is betting on cleaner and more sustainable options to power its ships is Hurtigruten, a Norwegian shipping line that develops its ships to be powered by solar and wind energy.
The company has presented details of what will be the first electrified adventure cruise ship in the world with zero emissions. In addition to harnessing energy from the sun, the ship will also use the wind, storing the energy in its powerful 60 MWh batteries. To do this, the boat will use three retractable sails packed with photovoltaic panels and other technical innovations.
The aforementioned batteries will have a range of between 300 and 350 nautical miles (between 556 and 648 kilometers). Therefore, they must be recharged with renewable energy about eight times during a round trip of about 11 days, the average duration of the trips for which it is designed.
The three sails of the boat work autonomously and are designed to optimize aerodynamics during navigation; In addition, they will work by attracting air currents to reinforce their propulsion. These sails are retractable, have 1,500 m² of solar panels and have a surface area of ??750 m² to capture the wind.
They will be able to rise up to 50 meters and have the ability to retract when the ship needs to go under a bridge or turn course. The cruise will also be powered by natural resources during the summer, as she will use Northern Norway’s midnight sun, which stays on 24 hours a day.
It is not the first time that the Hurtigruten company surprises with a sustainable maritime proposal and maximum innovation. Just four years ago it introduced the world’s first battery-powered hybrid exploration cruiser.
Currently, it has a fleet of eight cruise ships with capacity for up to 500 passengers that sail from Oslo, covering the entire Norwegian coast, until reaching the Arctic Circle. It is a small company compared to the giants in the sector but, according to its managers, it is hopeful that others will immerse themselves in the future of maritime transport and adopt the same technological solutions that they do, allowing everyone to travel the waters of the emission-free world.
At the moment, this initiative is in the concept phase, but it is expected to start sailing in 2030. The following video explains, with beautiful images of Norwegian landscapes, how the company believes that the future of navigation should be for the preservation of our planet.
