The discussion on climate change and the impact it will have on future generations is even more at the forefront of global concerns than ever before. The tourism industry especially has a lot to lose in a changing climate where rising sea levels threaten coastal cities’ infrastructure and natural wonders of the world like the Great Barrier Reef. Rising temperatures will also play a big role in the frequency of intense weather events as well as contribute to the downturn of winter destinations that depend on snow.

According to a study published in the scientific journal Nature Climate Change, today tourism accounts for roughly 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Since the global tourism industry is set to see an annual growth rate of around 5% (outpacing the growth of international trade), incorporating more innovation and sustainability technologies within tourism is crucial to the overall health of the industry.

One company that is worthy of praise for their efforts in innovation and sustainability is Hurtigruten Cruises, a leader in expedition travel and sustainability within the cruise industry. Hurtigruten recently launched the world’s first hybrid electric-powered cruise ship, one part of a three ship series and a US $850 million investment in building the world’s greenest cruise line.

Currently, Hurtigruten Cruises sail to some of the world’s most pristine and remote destinations, including Antarctica, Alaska, Arctic Canada, the Northwest Passage, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Svalbard, just to name a few. As an industry leader in sustainability, Hurtigruten’s new hybrid ship, MS Roald Amundsen is an example of their deep commitment to improving marine environments and cutting emissions by sailing with electrical propulsion. Hybrid ships such as the MS Roald Amundsen can reduce fuel consumption and CO2-emissions by 20%, making them the most advanced and environmentally friendly expedition vessels at sea.

“This opens a new chapter in maritime history. MS Roald Amundsen is the first cruise ship equipped with batteries, something deemed impossible just a few years back. With the introduction of MS Roald Amundsen, Hurtigruten sets a new standard not only for cruising, but for the entire shipping industry to follow,” announced Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten.

With more than 300 cruise ships in the world, daily emissions from one single cruise ship can be equivalent to one million cars - a staggering realization when you think of it. Hurtigruten’s commitment to setting new standards for the industry to follow has been nothing short of honourable and their goal of ultimately working towards a completely emission-free ship should be a new precedent the whole industry works toward.

How Do They Do It?

Advancing Shore Power - when connected to shore power, emissions are reduced to zero. The new shore-based electricity facility in the port of Bergen alone, will reduce NOx emissions by 2.5 tons and CO2 emissions by 150 tons per ship, every year. The combination of battery packs and shore-based power will reduce CO2 emissions by a further 8%.

Hurtigruten Produces Their Own Fresh Water - through onboard desalination and purification technology Hurtigruten reuses heat from the engine coolant and the vessels´ exhaust systems to warm up the hot water tanks on board. By doing so, they are able to save power equivalent to the consumption of 6,700 households per year. Automatic technology to reduce food waste has also become part of their sustainability and waste programs.

Maintaining stringent policies regarding what the ships discharge into the sea - Hurtigruten has banned food waste, grey water, bilge water and black water from being discharged into the water in Hjørundfjorden, Geirangerfjord/Storfjorden and Lyngenfjorden along with other vulnerable areas.

Banning Single Use Plastics - one part of a much larger effort to reducing waste, put a stop to littering and reduce the impact such waste has on the welfare and marine life of small coastal societies.

Their next step:

Hurtigruten wants to power cruise ships with liquefied biogas (LBG) – fossil-free, renewable gas produced from dead fish and other organic waste.

“What others see as a problem, we see as a resource and a solution. By introducing biogas as fuel for cruise ships, Hurtigruten will be the first cruise company to power ships with fossil-free fuel,” says Skjeldam. “While competitors are running on cheap and polluting heavy fuel oil (HFO), our ships will literally be powered by nature. Biogas is the greenest fuel in shipping and will be a huge advantage for the environment.”

Considered the eco-friendliest fuel currently available, renewable biogas is already being used as fuel in small parts of the transport sector, especially in buses. Both Norway, which has large fishery and forestry sectors that produce a steady volume of organic waste, and Northern Europe have a unique opportunity to become world leaders in biogas production.

“Hurtigruten has become a symbol of how to put responsibility into action. They have taken several important steps to improve their climate and environmental performance. Now they are introducing the use of renewables in the cruise industry and that gives us hope for a change of pace in finding sustainable solutions,” says Frederic Hauge, a Norwegian environmental activist and head of the Bellona Foundation, a NGO international environment foundation.

One thing is for sure, the tourism industry for its own sake and for the health of the planet has a long way to go in terms of implementing more sustainable practices. By paying attention and supporting leaders in the green space like Hurtigruten, we can install change and set new standards that will promote a better future, a cleaner world, and less environmentally impactful travel for all.