Photo: Havila Voyages
The Norwegian cruise ship operator Havila Voyages is back on track after having suffered an unexpected setback due to financial ties with a sanctioned Russian company. Havila made headlines last year with the launch of an eco-friendly ship sporting the world’s largest batteries. The second ship from the same innovative line is ready to kick off operations this month.
Havila Capella was supposed to be famous for being one of the first eco-friendly hybrid vessels to operate on a Norwegian route, and its batteries were the largest in the world. But only a few months after its launch, it was forced to stop operations.
It was being sanctioned because it had been financed by a Russian firm, GTLK. The Norwegian operator is making serious efforts to cut financial ties with this company and to find other financing sources. This is going to take a while, but the government finally granted the vessel a special dispensation for six months, allowing it to resume operations. So, from a sanctioned vessel, Havila Capella is back to being just an eco-friendly cruise ship.
Its sister ship, Havila Castor, is also ready to join in. The ship was delivered to Havila Kystruten by the Tersan shipyard in Turkey and will enter service this month. Dubbed “the most eco-friendly ships on the Norwegian coastal route,” these boats are built with an energy-efficient hull, in addition to the hybrid-electric propulsion system. The result is a cut in CO2 emissions by 25% and up to 90% fewer NOx emissions.
These 408-footers (124 meters) can accommodate 640 passengers in 179 cabins, sporting a typical Scandinavian style and premium amenities, including luxury furniture. But what’s even more impressive is that they can sail for up to four hours with zero emissions. And since sustainability and circular economy are also important for eco-friendly cruise ship operations, the fancy gourmet meals were replaced by traditional dishes using locally-sourced ingredients from villages along the route.
The first two hybrid-electric ships will be followed by two more, Havila Polaris and Havila Pollux, for extended eco-friendly operations along the Norwegian coast.
It was being sanctioned because it had been financed by a Russian firm, GTLK. The Norwegian operator is making serious efforts to cut financial ties with this company and to find other financing sources. This is going to take a while, but the government finally granted the vessel a special dispensation for six months, allowing it to resume operations. So, from a sanctioned vessel, Havila Capella is back to being just an eco-friendly cruise ship.
Its sister ship, Havila Castor, is also ready to join in. The ship was delivered to Havila Kystruten by the Tersan shipyard in Turkey and will enter service this month. Dubbed “the most eco-friendly ships on the Norwegian coastal route,” these boats are built with an energy-efficient hull, in addition to the hybrid-electric propulsion system. The result is a cut in CO2 emissions by 25% and up to 90% fewer NOx emissions.
These 408-footers (124 meters) can accommodate 640 passengers in 179 cabins, sporting a typical Scandinavian style and premium amenities, including luxury furniture. But what’s even more impressive is that they can sail for up to four hours with zero emissions. And since sustainability and circular economy are also important for eco-friendly cruise ship operations, the fancy gourmet meals were replaced by traditional dishes using locally-sourced ingredients from villages along the route.
The first two hybrid-electric ships will be followed by two more, Havila Polaris and Havila Pollux, for extended eco-friendly operations along the Norwegian coast.
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