Norway Celebrates Hurtigruten as Top Eco-Friendly Travel Choice

In 2024, Hurtigruten was named the most sustainable travel and tourism brand in Norway, according to a Sustainable Brand Index survey. This survey, which looked at 282 brands from 25 industries, found Hurtigruten to be the top in sustainability among travel companies. The survey, done by SB Insight since 2013, included opinions from 13,000 people in Norway.

Hurtigruten Tops Norway's Sustainable Travel Brands in 2024

Hurtigruten's CEO, Hedda Felin, expressed happiness over the recognition. She said it shows that people see Hurtigruten as a leader in caring for nature and culture along Norway's coastline. According to Cruise Industry News, the company works closely with local communities to create value together. Hurtigruten focuses on being truly sustainable, putting money into reducing emissions, managing food waste, using local foods, and buying services from local businesses.

A report by Morningstar Sustainalytics ranked Hurtigruten as the highest among cruise companies worldwide in terms of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) factors. This places it in the top 3% of the global travel industry. The company has made big moves to cut emissions, including upgrading ships to be more environmentally friendly. They are working towards ships that have zero emissions and use less energy.

Hurtigruten also shared plans for its Sea Zero project, which aims to create the most energy-efficient cruise ship by 2030. Three of its seven ships have already been upgraded to battery-hybrid power. These upgrades aim to cut CO₂ emissions by 25% and NOx emissions by 80%. The company has been a leader in environmental efforts, banning heavy fuel oil in 2009 and single-use plastics in 2018. In 2019, it launched MS Roald Amundsen, the world's first battery-hybrid-powered ship.

Adjusts Fleet, Cancels West Africa Season

Hurtigruten Group has announced changes in its fleet, moving the MS Maud ship from its expedition division, HX, back to its Norwegian coastal operations, named Hurtigruten. This adjustment comes as the company plans major environmental upgrades for its ships. The MS Maud, which had been part of HX since 2021, will return to Hurtigruten's Norwegian Coastal Express routes, a role it previously held. The ship is set to return to HX in 2026 after its temporary assignment.

In a significant move last year, Hurtigruten Group divided its business into two parts: Hurtigruten Expeditions, now called HX, for its exploration trips, and Hurtigruten Norway for its coastal journeys. This change brought Hurtigruten Norway back to its original name from when it started in 1893, as reported by Cruise Trade News.

Adding to these updates, Hurtigruten Group also announced the cancellation of its 2023/24 West Africa season. The decision to halt operations in West Africa was due to increasing instability in the region, making it unsafe for travel.

Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten Group, highlighted the company's focus on environmental improvements as a key reason for these operational changes. He mentioned that the versatility of Hurtigruten's fleet allows for such adjustments, ensuring the company continues to offer unique travel experiences while upgrading its ships for better environmental performance.