Hurtigruten to Build New Explorer Ships for Adventure Travel | Cruise News – Apr. 25, 2016

Hurtigruten to Build New Explorer Ships for Adventure Travel

Cruise News – Apr. 25, 2016

Norwegian exploration travel company Hurtigruten has signed a letter of intent for the construction of up to four new explorer ships with Norwegian shipyard Kleven. According to the cruise line, the order is a move to meet growing demand for adventure travel from travelers in the United States and across the globe.

The order includes the construction of two new state-of-the-art vessels, which will be designed and customized specifically for adventure-rich expedition voyages in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, as well as along the Norwegian coastline. True to Hurtigruten’s commitment to sustainability, the new ships will be equipped with advanced environmentally friendly technology to reduce emissions. The signing marks the largest investment Hurtigruten has made in its more than 120 years of exploring the Arctic and Antarctic waters, and its first new ship order in 10 years.

“This is a milestone for us and expresses how confident we are in the growth of the global market for adventure tourism” says Daniel Skjeldam, CEO, Hurtigruten. “We intend to build the most formidable expedition ships the world has seen.”

The new ships will offer a host of activities for adventure seekers, from climbing and kayaking to RIB tours and whale and sea eagle safaris. The new vessels will explore some of the world’s most unspoiled natural surroundings while offering lectures on topics relevant to the destinations they sail to from experts in areas such as history, zoology, botany, and environmental science. Experienced expedition teams will accompany passengers on educational excursions to isolated places only accessible by ships or zodiac boats.

About the new explorer ships:

• Specially designed expedition ships for polar waters
• Customized also for the Norwegian coastal route
• Number of passengers: approx. 600
• Number of cabins: approx. 300
• Dimensions (external): Length 140 m, width 23 m, height 29 m
• Draught: 5.3 m
• Delivery: The first ship summer 2018, ship two summer 2019
• Ice-strengthened hull

^{Photo: Hurtigruten}

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