At the Nor-Shipping event held this week in Oslo, the world's most environmentally friendly coastal vessel, the Havila Capella, received the "Next Generation Ship" award. During the Ocean Leadership Conference at this year's Nor-Shipping event in Oslo, it was announced that the Havila Voyages vessel, whose innovative technology allows it to sail with zero emissions, was the winner of the award.
The award recognizes a project that demonstrates the greatest advancements and innovations in design with respect to energy efficiency, suitability and flexibility, technological utilization, safety, and environmental sustainability for the next decade. The vessel was designed by Hav Group and built at the Tersan shipyard in Turkey.
“It is a great honor to receive this award for our first ship, the Havila Capella, the world’s greenest ship. We look forward to welcoming three identical ships later this year, which will be part of the daily service on the historic coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes. Sustainability must be reflected in everything we do, from ship design to all other operations. To be awarded this prestigious industry recognition is a remarkable moment and proof that Havila Voyages’ highly innovative ship technology is pioneering the green transition of cruise ships,” says Havila Voyages CEO Bent Martini.
The Havila Capella is a plug-in hybrid vessel. The modern boat's onboard batteries allow it to sail for four hours without noise or emissions, meaning it can navigate silently and sustainably through World Heritage-listed fjords and pristine environments along the Norwegian coast.
Havila Voyages has invested over 500 million Norwegian kroner to make its eco-cruise ships environmentally friendly, and battery packs are just one of several measures that reduce NOx emissions by approximately 90% and CO2 emissions by 25%. Furthermore, the ships are built to run on biogas, a virtually carbon-neutral biofuel, which is the most impressive attribute of the Havila Capella: it is ready to operate with zero emissions. The ship is also prepared to run on hydrogen or ammonia, making it a vessel built for the future. The ship's innovative technology was developed in close collaboration with Hav Group, Hav Design, Kongsberg Maritime, and scientific networks.
Furthermore, “Havila Food Stories,” the onboard dining concept, prioritizes sustainability. The concept reduces food waste by a total of 15 tons per ship per year, and to make the ship even more efficient, it features a waste energy recovery system that harnesses 65% of the fuel energy normally lost through exhaust and cooling water systems.
“It is worthwhile to take care of Norway’s peaceful and unspoiled nature, its clean water and pure air, both for ourselves and for future generations. That is why we focus on eco-friendly solutions, so that those who come after us can experience the same,” says Bent Martini, CEO of Havila Voyages.
