Rolls-Royce to provide green technology for polar cruise ships
Illustration of the arrangement of the propulsion system
In addition to the hybrid power solution, the Rolls-Royce-designed Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen, to be built by Norway's Kleven Verft, will have the latest automation and control systems – including the Rolls-Royce Unified Bridge – the first delivery of two azipull propellers using permanent magnet technology, two large tunnel thrusters, stabilisers, four Bergen B33:45 engines, winches and power electric systems.
The hybrid technology for Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen is planned for delivery in two phases. In phase one, auxiliary battery power will provide large reductions in fuel consumption related to “peak shaving”, Rolls-Royce says. This solution is to be installed on the first expeditionary ship, to be ready for delivery in 2018.
For phase two, larger batteries will be installed, enabling fully electric sailing across longer distances and over longer periods of time. This will be used when sailing into fjords, at port and in vulnerable areas, allowing silent and emission-free sailing. Rolls-Royce aims to install this new technology in the second ship, which is scheduled for delivery in 2019. The goal of Hurtigruten is to refurbish the first ship with the same technology.
The decision to invest in a hybrid solution is an important milestone in Hurtigruten’s goal of sailing fully electric expeditionary ships in the Arctic and Antarctic. Hybrid technology, in combination with the construction of the hull and effective use of electricity on board, will reduce the ships' fuel consumption by about 20% and CO2 emissions by 20% as well, the companies say. This amounts to more than 3,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.
The ships will be 140m long, 23.6m wide and have capacity for 530 passengers in 265 cabins.
