Hurtigruten 's new Sea Zero concept , in collaboration with several suppliers, aims to produce an energy-efficient Norwegian coastal vessel in time for 2030, powered by a 60 MW battery pack, retractable sails and solar panels.
“We wanted to focus on how to reduce the energy consumption of ships rather than focusing directly on what type of fuel or energy source we will use,” says Gerry Larsson-Fedde, Chief Operating Officer of Hurtigruten Norway.
According to Larsson-Fedde, having 60 MW of battery power on a ship by 2030 is feasible. The batteries will be complemented by three fully automated retractable sails that adjust according to wind direction.
“The only manual part of the system will be someone telling the candles to retrace“.
Given the abundance of daylight in Norway during the summer, the sails will be covered with solar panels, as will most of the aerodynamically optimized superstructure of the 135-meter-long vessel.
“Much attention has been paid to underwater optimization to reduce aerodynamic drag, but the same has not been done above water,” says Larsson-Fedde.
Hurtigruten wants to optimize the aerodynamics of the superstructure to reduce drag. This also involves a new bridge design.
“With the technology being developed using Artificial Intelligence and situational awareness, we believe we can reduce the size of the bridge to something similar to an airplane cockpit,” said Larsson-Fedde.
“We're taking that concept and that thinking to the next level, using machine learning to navigate all those ports we frequently enter, and to use that data as a support system for bridge officers“.
The company expects to reduce energy consumption by 40 to 50 percent, and also to gain benefits from optimizing air conditioning, air lubrication, and guest participation in the energy-saving process.
“Operating a hotel on a passenger ship consumes a substantial amount of energy,” said Larsson-Fedde. “We are looking at ways to raise guest awareness and developing an app so they can monitor their energy consumption and be an integral part of the journey.”
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