Hurtigruten’s hybrid-powered expedition cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen has made history, becoming the first ship ever named in Antarctica.

Hurtigruten has forged a new partnership with Australasian travel wholesaler Adventure World Travel.

Hurtigruten has named polar pioneer Karin Strand as godmother to the world’s first hybrid powered cruise ship, MS Roald Amundsen. The naming is set to take place 8 November 2019 during MS Roald Amundsen’s maiden voyage to the white continent. She will be the first ship in history to be named in Antarctica.

Hurtigruten has confirmed it will convert three of its existing ships to premium, hybrid-powered expedition ships. Utilising the same technology that is fuelling the Norwegian cruise company’s newest ‘green ship’, MS Roald Amundsen, Hurtigruten plans to install battery packs to MS Trollfjord, MS Finnmarken and MS Midnatsol, relaunching them all by 2021 under new names and operating year-long itineraries along the Norwegian coastline.

Hurtigruten has made maritime history with its new ship, MS Roald Amundsen, operating wholly under battery power for the first time. The expedition ship operated silently and emission free off the west coast of Norway ahead of her maiden passenger cruise in coming days.

In 2019 and 2020 Hurtigruten, the world’s largest expedition cruise line, will expand its business in the Asia-Pacific region substantially, building an Australia sales, marketing and operations team.