Hurtigruten Expeditions held the naming ceremony for its new battery-hybrid powered passenger ship Fridtjof Nansen in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard
At the ceremony in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norwegian expeditioners Hilde Fålun Strøm and Sunniva Sørby officially named the vessel Fridtjof Nansen after the eponymous 19th century explorer.
Hurtigruten Group chief executive Daniel Skjeldam said, “We are thrilled to celebrate more than 125 years of exploration and adventure travel where it all began. We couldn’t be prouder acknowledging this important milestone by naming this engineering marvel at the spot where our founder Richard With pioneered modern-day expedition cruising.”
Fridtjof Nansen is the first cruise ship ever to be registered in Longyearbyen. The 140-m, 20,889-gt vessel accommodates more than 500 passengers and can reach speeds up to 15 knots. The battery-hybrid powered propulsion system used on Fridtjof Nansen is a near identical twin to sister ship Roald Amundsen.
“By naming this unprecedented ship after Fridtjof Nansen, on Svalbard, we pay tribute to him as an explorer and a scientist and to the rich arctic legacy of Hurtigruten Expeditions. We also salute our long-lasting relationship with the Svalbard community. This small-sized, battery-hybrid powered expedition ship will explore all waters – and it will do so proudly calling Svalbard home,” said Hurtigruten Expeditions chief executive Asta Lassesen.
“Exploration is who we are. We will always explore. Today is a very special day for me and all my colleagues on board this magnificent ship. We are thrilled to welcome guests on board Fridtjof Nansen to co-explore the remote corners of the globe with us – and wholeheartedly commit to explore in the most sustainable and respectful manner,” said the vessel’s Captain Bent Ivar Gangdal.
Hurtigruten Expeditions has now added the Galapagos Islands and the West African archipelagos of the Bissagos Islands and Cape Verde to their range of destinations.
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