by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 11:35 AM ET, Thu October 2, 2025
Hurtigruten plans to embark on its first climate-neutral biofuel sailing later this month.
On October 29, the battery-hybrid ship MS Richard With will depart from Bergen with its tanks filled with 100 percent advanced biofuel. The ship will sail round trip to Kirkenes along the Norwegian coast, traveling 2485 miles in total. The vessel will connect to shore power wherever available during the sailing.
“Our ships already sail on blended biofuel, but for the first time we will carry out the entire sailing on 100 percent advanced biofuel,” says Hedda Felin, chief executive officer of Hurtigruten. “For us at Hurtigruten, it is important to do what we can to reduce emissions, and this voyage is an example of how biofuel can play a key role in achieving Norway’s climate goals.”
Over the last three years, the company has invested more than $100 million in technical and environmental upgrades to its fleet to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Hurtigruten has also gradually phased in biofuels, such as hydrotreated vegetable oil, which is produced from renewable waste materials.
"Our long-term vision is to be able to sail completely emission-free in normal operation,” says Felin. “Advanced biofuels make it possible to achieve major emission cuts with our existing fleet. This is proven and safe technology, and at the same time can help protect the climate from large emissions created by the construction of new ships.”
Hurtigruten is also continuing work on its Sea Zero research and development program, which aims to design a ship that can sail without emissions in normal operation. The project is a collaboration between Hurtigruten, Sintef and other partners in the Norwegian maritime industry.
“Looking further into the future, we want to build new ships that reduce the total energy demand by 40 to 50 percent,” says Felin. “We can then sail on batteries as the main source of energy, assisted by a number of innovative solutions such as sails, air lubrication of hulls, more efficient design and contra-rotating propellers.”
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