Page 13 - CIN 2019 Drydocking and Refurbishment Report

DRYDOCKS
Fram
Upgrades
Hurtigruten announced that the Fram will see a major
refurbishment ahead of its 2020 Arctic program.
Among the changes are large windows, new open
spaces, revamped staterooms and a new science center
aboard, said the company, along with more environmen-
tally friendly engines and a total makeover of all public
areas – including new restaurants.
All cabins and suites will be fully refurbished using
natural Scandinavian materials such as granite, oak, birch
and wool.
The main restaurant will be transformed to Restau-
rant Aune – Hurtigruten’s new expedition cruise main
restaurant concept. The restaurant is social and informal
with the use of natural elements in design and interiors,
and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner based on a Scan-
dinavian identity.
Lindstrøm, a specialty restaurant named after the favor-
ite chef of the Norwegian polar heroes, will also be added. diesel to the most advanced and sustainable solution out there.”
Lindstrøm will be an upper premium fine dining restaurant
with strong roots in traditional Norwegian cooking that
are contrasted with modern cuisine, accompanied with
a lounge for a glass of champagne and classic cocktails,
the company said.
Also new will be the company’s Science Center, an
“edutainment area” which will be the place guests and
staff meet and mingle.
The forward-facing Qilak Observation Lounge will
be completely refurbished and re-emerge as Explorer
Lounge & Bar. ¾
Cruise Industry News: 2019 Drydocking and Refurbishment Report 35
90 Days
Taking that to the next step, Hurtigruten will rip out old diesel
powerplants from its vessels built in the 1990s, putting in state-
of-the-art LNG-fueled engines.
The 90-day drydock period for each vessel will conclude
with the ships emerging as the new environmental standard,
Skjeldam said.
Work is expected to be completed by 2021.
“Just the decision to go with batteries and LNG was an easy
solution; it is technology that is out there and there is a lot of
LNG availability where we operate,” Skjeldam added.
The big news is the biogas, a fossil-free, renewable fuel pro-
duced from dead fish and other organic waste. It can be mixed
in with LNG.
The investment totals a fleetwide refurbishment budget of
some $850 million, including a complete interior refit across
the fleet.
The final product? The most sustainable cruise operation in
the world, said Skjeldam.
“The guest of the future will be focused on this,” he added.
“We are not underestimating the complexity of going from
The six ships slated for re-engining will see a hole cut in the
side, and all diesel engines and tanks removed. LNG engines,
tanks and batteries will go in. The LNG tanks will require a
larger space commitment.
“We are doing significant analysis on the
entire GA (general arrangement) on the ships;
we do have some space here and there. There
is a lot of new technology in LNG tanks.”
“We are doing significant analysis on the entire GA (general
arrangement) on the ships; we do have some space here and
there,” Skjeldam continued. “There is a lot of new technology
in LNG tanks.”
Skjeldam said he expects the ships to be able to sail up to
14 days on LNG and battery power without needing to bunker.
While the LNG supply chain in Norway is no problem, the
biogas opportunities are not yet as appealing as Hurtigruten is
working with multiple companies to drive the biogas supply
chain forward.
“We are considering sailing completely emissions free in
the world heritage fjords. There are new regulations coming in
2025 and we are very much in front of these,” Skjeldam said.
“We are the first ones to re-engine for LNG and the first ones
to use biogas. We were the first ones to build hybrid ships. Our
strategy is to be in front.”
The eventual goal? Operate ships emissions free.
Come 2021, with changes to the Norwegian coastal operating
agreement, Hurtigruten will have more capacity in the expedition
market, and plans to have up to 17 ships operating between that
market and coastal service. ¾