Something Is Rotten in the State of Norway. It’s the New Biofuel!

Norwegian expedition cruise operator Hurtigruten is taking its environmental commitment to another level as the company is planning to use a byproduct of rotten fish to power its ships.

“We are talking about an energy source (LBG) from organic waste, which would otherwise have gone up in the air. This is waste material from dead fish, from agriculture and forestry,” Reuters cited Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam as saying.

Being a company that operates in environmentally-sensitive areas in the Arctic, it is very important for Hurtigurten to cut its environmental footprint. As a result, the company has embarked upon an ambitious investment program, which will see six of its ships retrofitted to run on LNG, electric batteries and liquefied bio gas, Reuters reported.

This is in addition to the company’s newbuilding program which is comprised of three hybrid cruise ships. Specifically, Hurtigruten has two 15,000-ton hybrid-powered vessels, MS Roald Amundsen and MS Fridtjof Nansen, on order at Kleven. At the beginning of November, Hurtigruten inked a memorandum of understanding with its compatriot shipbuilder for the construction of the third such vessel.

Furthermore, as part of its emission cutting steps, the Norwegian cruise company teamed up with Rolls-Royce for a major environmental upgrade program to hybrid power.

The plan is to convert the main engines on up to nine cruise ships from diesel to gas power and equip the ships with a hybrid battery system.

The deal comprises the supply of equipment to six existing passenger cruise vessels, with an option for a further three. The upgrade will enable the former diesel-powered ships to reduce CO₂-emissions by at least 25 percent, Rolls-Royce said earlier.

Ultimately, the company aims to become carbon neutral by 2050 in line with the shipping industry’s decarbonization drive.

World Maritime News Staff