Published on
October 2, 2025
Hurtigruten will be setting off on its first climate-neutral biofuel voyage, which will also be the first sailing biofuel voyage in the company’s history. The journey will be 4,000 kilometers up and down the coast of Norway and will require the battery-hybrid ship, the Richard With, to run solely on 100% advanced biofuel. This climate-neutral voyage is also the first Norway climate vision-compliant shipping vessel emission voyage.
Hurtigruten is achieving something unprecedented in the world of cruising. This is the first cruise vessel biofuel pathway cruise emission compliance voyage. The ship will sail on renewable waste biofuel, which will be waste. This trip, to the world famous coast of Norway, with its world music legacy and rich music history, will forever be remembered as famous in historical lame and pictured with accolades to the world. The world will watch as the great coast of Norway sings to the world from both shores.
Sailing on 100% Advanced Biofuel: A First for Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten will be making a first complete 100% advanced biofuel crossing on this trip. With this trip, crossing the coast of Norway, the battery-hybrid ship, and its crew with members from all over the world, will be setting a world record as the first coast ship setting a coast biodiesel biofuel loop. The grown fuel is climate pledge compliant and is waste fuel, meaning it is cycle compliant in the climate pledge. The fuel, HVO 100 (hydrotreated vegatable oil), is a waste oil and thus compliant with world removing waste and negative pledge compliant, also making this trip one for the ages and world.
According to Hurtigruten CEO Hedda Felin, emissions reduction is one of the company’s top priorities, and this sailing demonstrates how biofuels can help achieve the climate goals set by Norway. As used by the company on this sailing, biofuel is one of the groundbreaking innovations in reducing the company’s carbon and nitrogen oxides emissions, and another step made towards environmentally-friendly cruising.
Fueling Sustainability with Biofuels
Beyond the biofuel use, the company makes environmentally friendly investments in its sustainability practices. To date, Hurtigruten has made biofuels one of the additional components of their €100 million investment in the fleet and their €100 million investment on fleet green innovations.
The fleet uses HOV100, eco-friendly biofuels, which help in significant emission reductions. This helps with the implementation of their 100% emission reduction cruising goal. As emissions will probably not be reduced and biofuels will not be used, they will be extreme and offset the emissions substantially. Felin also commented on the operational cruising, stating, that they will not achieve zero emissions while operating, so biofuels will be a reality while they work towards zero emissions.
Future Vision: Emission-Free Sailing
Hurtigruten views the future with more than just biofuels in mind. The company continues finding new ways to reduce emissions, and its Sea Zero initiative is at the forefront of those new ideas. Sea Zero is a strategic plan to design and build a ship that, under normal conditions, will operate with no emissions at all. Should the plan come to fruition, Sea Zero will pioneer the cruise line industry and set new, sustainable practices for the rest of the industry.
For its next fleet, Hurtigruten aims to build newly designed ships that will help the company meet its ambitious future goals. The new ships will be able to cut energy demands by 40-50%. The new ships will be powered predominantly by batteries and will incorporate advanced technologies like sails, air lubrication of the hulls, more streamlined designs, and contra-rotating propellers.
By focusing on emission-free cruising, Hurtigruten shows the world its dedication to the new sustainable vision for travel and for the world. The new sustainable technologies with biofuels will profoundly shape the future of the cruise line industry for the better and for the protection of future generations.
A New Era for Sustainable Travel
Hurtigruten continues to lead the way in sustainable travel as the first cruise liner to use climate-neutral biofuels. This cruise is just another example of the line’s ongoing commitment to lowering the environmental impacts of cruising while giving the guests great memories of the stunning coast of Norway.
Moving to the use of 100 percent advanced biofuel on the Richard With is not just a Hurtigruten milestone, but for every cruise line. It is a testament to the fact that you can travel in style and still practice sustainable travel. It displays the power of sustainable travel and is supportive of the climate goals set by the Government of Norway while giving the travel industry an example to follow.
Conclusion: Setting New Standards for the Cruise Industry
Hurtigruten’s climate-neutral biofuel sailing is a great accomplishment for the historical cruise line. With Richard With running on 100 percent advanced biofuel, the cruise line sets a great example to the cruise industry on meaningful emissions advancements.
Hurtigruten has plans for new environmentally friendly innovations and new investments for cutting-edge emission reduction technology. The Sea Zero project and the commitment to minimal energy use lays the blueprint for future environmentally friendly and customer-friendly possible operations. With these efforts, Hurtigruten shows the travel industry that responsible and sustainable travel is no longer a goal for the cruise travel industry—it is possible today.
