Kongsberg signs three-ship upgrade deal with Hurtigruten
A combined project between Kongsberg Maritime and Myklebust Verft will convert three Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express vessels to hybrid operation (Source: Hurtigruten Norge)
Kongsberg Maritime is to work alongside Norwegian shipyard, Myklebust Verft, on the conversion of three Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express vessels to hybrid operation. The first vessel to undergo the upgrade will be the shipping company’s Richard With, followed by the Nordlys and the Kong Harald.
The ships’ conversions will involve installation of Kongsberg 2.24-MW lithium ion energy storage systems, controlled by SAVe Cube integrated drive switchboards. Each vessel will have two new Bergen B33:45V diesel engines, selective catalytic reduction systems and a range of Kongsberg digital monitoring installations.
The ships will also have shaft generators to supply electricity, controlled by a Kongsberg power management system. Sensors will provide a constant flow of data, collated and shared via an information management system and analysed using the company’s Vessel Insight, a performance monitoring setup.
Daniel Skjeldam, Hurtigruten Group CEO, commented: “Our goal is to operate all our ships and all our cruises completely emission-free. While we get a step closer day by day, we cannot sit idle and wait for the technology to be in place. We are working closely with our partners, such as the competent team at Kongsberg Maritime, to drive change and move boundaries, while at the same time utilising the best solutions already available today.”
