Kongsberg Maritime has delivered a 23% cut in CO2 emissions on the 121-metre passenger vessel MS Richard With, owned by Hurtigruten, a coastal ship operator and adventure travel company.
The vessel finished an extensive refit last summer using Kongsberg Maritime engineering and technology and has now completed its first year back in service.
Last year, Kongsberg Maritime partnered with Myklebust Verft shipyard to convert three Hurtigruten ships to hybrid technology, promising reduced emissions and quieter operations. The MS Richard With, built in 1993, was the first of three ships to be relaunched, in August last year. The second ship MS Kong Harald returned to service in May, and the final ship, MS Nordlys will be complete in 2025.
The project is one of the largest of its kind in Europe, with an investment value of approximately €100 million.
The refit programme for MS Richard With included installation of two hybrid shaft generators, two SaveEnergy 1,120kWh lithium-ion batteries and two Bergen B33:45V engines. It also has new tunnel thruster motors, a retractable azimuth thruster, and controllable pitch propeller blades, plus digital management systems.
MS Richard With, the first of three ships to be relaunched, was finished in August last year. The second ship, MS Kong Harald returned to service in May and the final ship, MS Nordlys will be complete in 2025