Hurtigruten?s expedition cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen has become the first battery-hybrid powered ship to ever traverse the Northwest Passage.
The ship made the first complete passage of more than 3,000 nautical miles from the Atlantic to the Pacific by hybrid propulsion.
Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of the expedition company, said: "Every expedition cruise with Hurtigruten is unique, yet this green milestone is literally making history with our guests. Only a few years ago, building cruise ships with battery packs was considered impossible; now the MS Roald Amundsen pays tribute to the great explorer she is named after by traversing one of the world?s most fabled stretches of sea by hybrid propulsion."
Ship captain Albrigtsen, said: ?We have experienced gale winds, snow and ice. We have also witnessed spectacular sunsets, and striking scenery and wildlife. However, what has had the biggest impact on us, is how warmly we?ve been welcomed by the local communities along the route, just as Roald Amundsen himself was. Their unparalleled hospitality is what has made this a genuinely inspirational voyage.?
Having traversed the Northwest Passage, MS Roald Amundsen will sail further along the coast of North- and South America, before spending the winter offering expedition cruises in Antarctica.
The summer of 2020, she will return to North America for a series of expedition cruises in Alaska.
