Zero-emission cruise ship with retractable solar sails set to launch in 2030

By travelling on modern day cruise ships, we inevitably leave our (carbon) footprint behind, in an ironic twist of fate destroying the very nature we have come so far to admire.

That could soon change, at least along the magnificent fjord landscape of Norway. Weeks before its 130th anniversary, cruise company Hurtigruten has revealed the concept design for its very first zero-emission ship. 

Cruise ships are among the most polluting means of travel. They utilise enormous amounts of fuel, and generate a ridiculous amount of waste. Noise pollution from the engines disturbs marine life, harming the sensitive hearing of dolphins and killer whales, and destroying entire ecosystems. 

Meanwhile, some economies rely on cruise ships and their passengers. Norway, as a whole, may not be entirely dependent on income from Hurtigruten. However, the communities along the route count on regular visits from the cruise ships for their livelihood. 

Batteries supplemented by solar and wind

Enter Sea Zero, “the world’s most energy-efficient cruise ship,” according to Hurtigruten and its 12 maritime partners for the project. The ship will feature 60 watt batteries that will be charged with renewable energy (while Norway is a huge oil and gas exporter, 98% of domestic energy consumption comes from renewables) while in port.

Rendering of Sea Zero in the fjords

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