Hurtigruten plans to launch the world’s most energy-efficient cruise ship are progressing following the completion of a new phase of rigorous testing

In 2023 the Nordic cruise line revealed early concepts for its first zero-emission ship, due to launch in 2030, as part of its Sea Zero project. If successful, Hurtigruten says it will transform all ships to become zero-emission over time.

Months of testing were recently completed at SINTEF Ocean’s facilities in Trondheim, Norway, with an eight-metre-long model of Hurtigruten’s Sea Zero ship used to evaluate innovations such as the use of large battery packs, retractable sails, air lubrication systems, contra-rotating propellers and an energy-optimised hull.

As a result, the ship design has been refined to be longer, lower and more stable, while the number of retractable sails has been increased to two. The physical trials along with digital simulations confirmed that the sails alone could reduce energy consumption by 10–15 per cent.

Gerry Larsson-Fedde, chief operating officer at Hurtigruten, said: “We are learning a lot from these tests, and we now see that many of the ambitious goals in this project can also be implemented in practice.”

The Sea Zero concept aims to cut the ship’s energy between 40-50 per cent compared to today’s ships, with Hurtigruten trialling a range of features, including contra-rotating propellers and air lubrication to reduce drag and smart energy systems for heating, cooling, and onboard operations.

Trond Johnsen, project manager for Sea Zero, added: “With the reduction in energy use we’re aiming for, it’s realistic to fit a battery system with enough energy to allow the ship to sail between charging ports under normal weather conditions.”