Norway plans to build electric cruise ships with solar panel sails

According to overseas media reports, Norway’s Hurtigruten cruise line said it will build a battery-electric cruise ship to offer scenic cruises along the Nordic coast, giving cruisers the opportunity to witness the wonders of the Norwegian fjords. The ship will feature sails covered in solar panels that will help charge the onboard batteries.

Currently, most cruise ships in Norway are powered by diesel engines. Diesel also fuels air conditioning systems, heats swimming pools and cooks food. However, Hurtigruten operates three hybrid battery-electric vessels capable of continuous cruising. Last year, they announced the “Sea Zero” initiative. Hurtigruten, in collaboration with twelve maritime partners and the Norwegian research institute SINTEF, has been exploring technological solutions to facilitate zero-emission maritime travel. The planned new zero-emission vessel will primarily operate using 60 megawatt-hour batteries, drawing charging power from clean energy sourced from Norway’s abundant hydropower supply. The batteries provide a range of 300 to 350 nautical miles, meaning the vessel will require approximately eight recharges during an 11-day round trip.

To reduce reliance on batteries, three retractable sails, each rising 50 metres (165 feet) from the deck, will deploy. These will harness any available wind to assist the vessel’s movement through the water. But the concept extends further: the sails will cover 1,500 square metres (16,000 square feet) of solar panels, generating energy to recharge the batteries whilst underway.

The ship’s technical design will be finalized in 2026, and construction of the first battery-electric cruise ship is scheduled to begin in 2027. The ship will enter revenue service in 2030. Thereafter, the company expects to gradually transition its entire fleet to zero-emission vessels.