World’s first hybrid cruise ship completes sea trial

MS Roald Amundsen undergoing sea trials in the waters off Kleven Yard in Norway

Hurtigruten’s MS Roald Amundsen is nearing completion at Kleven Yard. This weekend the world’s first hybrid powered cruise ship completed her first sea trials in the fjords along the western coast of Norway.

With Norwegian fjords as testing ground – and the famous Sunnmøre alps as a spectacular backdrop – MS Roald Amundsen’s advanced, green technology was put to a test in the waters off Kleven Yard in Ulsteinvik, Norway, over the weekend.

“I am very pleased with the results of the sea trial. The Kleven employees, along with our sub-contractors, has done a great job leading up to the successful sea trial,” Kleven CEO Olav Nakken said after MS Roald Amundsen’s return to the yard Monday morning.

Custom built for some of the most extreme waters on the planet, MS Roald Amundsen is currently undergoing final outfitting alongside her sister ship MS Fridtjof Nansen at Kleven Yard in Ulsteinvik, Norway.

The advanced hybrid powered expedition cruise ships, accommodating 530 guests, feature groundbreaking green technology such as battery packs and specially designed ice-strengthened hull. Both ships are designed and constructed with sustainability at core of every detail.

“With several sustainable innovations and this being a highly technical complicated ship, it is important for us to verify that all systems works as planned,” project director Asbjørn Vattøy at Kleven says – adding that the yard is in a hectic period as the on board interior is about to be completed.

After delivery this spring, MS Roald Amundsen’s maiden season includes expedition cruises along the Norwegian coast, to Svalbard and Greenland, before traversing the legendary Northwest Passage and heading south to Antarctica.

source: Travel Wire News