Cow manure isn’t a subject you would expect a cruise line’s team to get excited about, and yet last month when I was on board Havila Polaris for a journey along the Norwegian coast, it had the brand’s chief executive, Bent Martini, waxing lyrical.
Martini’s aim is for the cruise line to be at the forefront of reducing emissions at sea. It is the first ship to sail the route using a combination of battery power and biogas – a renewable fuel created by breaking down animal and food waste.
“We are very proud to be making history,” Martini tells the Independent, on a cold November evening. “Sustainable operations are in our DNA. Whatever we are doing has an environmental focus and this is not a marketing stunt. It’s something we are committed to doing.”
Martini explains that sustainable sailing is an order from the very top of the company, as the cruise line’s founder Per Saevik promised his grandchildren that they will have the chance to experience the natural world in the same state that he has.
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In an attempt to hold up this promis, Saevik’s team are loading 350 cubic metres of biogas onto my Havila Polaris cruise ship in Bergen. It is enough to power the ship for the 3,100-mile, 12-day coastal route to Kirkenes.
Martini explained: “We have a responsibility to the people and communities along our unique coastline. And we know that using biogas is an effective solution for sailing the coastal route with very low emissions.”
There is currently a race on the Norwegian coast among cruise brands such as Havila Voyages and rival Hurtigruten to offer climate-neutral sailings for passengers that reduce the amount of carbon dioxide going into the atmosphere, as well as offsetting remaining emissions elsewhere.
Hurtigruten completed a climate-neutral sailing using biodiesel in October, just weeks after Havila Voyages revealed plans to operate a biogas-powered itinerary.
Longer term, cruise lines are preparing for new rules being introduced by the Norwegian Maritime Authority – starting with ferries and smaller ships from next year – that will eventually only allow zero-emission vessels to sail in the fjords.
Havila Voyages only needs to comply from 2032 due to the size of its vessels, but it has already sailed emission-free in the fjords using its battery packs for four hours.
And now, the cruise company, which uses less-polluting liquefied natural gas (LNG) rather than diesel, has taken a large step in the environmental battle by showing it is possible to complete a climate-neutral voyage across the Norwegian coast using biogas.
It’s a landmark moment – as while LNG reduces the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by more than 35 per cent, according to Havila Voyages, biogas goes a step further by reducing CO2 emissions by 90 per cent. It also stops methane being released into the atmosphere from cow manure.
Havila Voyages plans to roll out the use of biogas across its four ships by 2028, and the changes won’t require any shipyard visits as the fuel can be stored in the same place that is currently used for LNG.
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The first difference I notice on board is the lack of smoke emerging from the ship. Older cruise ships that haven’t yet moved to LNG and use traditional fuels such as marine diesel can create an unsightly cloud of smoke as they leave a port. As a result, when we depart Bergen, there are none of the usual warnings to avoid going outside while the ship is being fuelled.
I visit the engine room below deck where the screens look like the dashboard of a hi-tech hybrid car. They display the speed of the ship, and the level of battery charge left, as the captain will sail emission-free using just the onboard 86 ton batteries later on in the journey, usually when the ship is closer to the fjords.
Excess heat from the engine room is also used to warm up the hot tubs – vital in the freezing fjords – as well as to warm the cabins and provide hot water in the bathrooms.
There’s no anxiety among the team about running out of power however, as the captain will never let the battery get below 20 per cent. Plus, it is recharged by the engine’s biogas fuel engine in the same way a hybrid vehicle recharges while moving.
It is not just the fuel of the ship that is important to Havila Voyages. The cruise line aims to keep food waste at 75 grams per guest per day, though Martini said its figures are closer to 69g.
There is no 24-hour all-you-can-eat buffet, but you won’t go hungry. For lunch and dinner there’s a generous portion of haddock or steak with potatoes and vegetables, which are enough to fill me up. And at breakfast I was surprised to find a small bowl of scrambled eggs and a selection of cheeses and Norwegian smoked salmon set me up for the day. There’s also a cafe where you can buy snacks.
Havila Voyages’ ships aren’t built to be resorts-at-sea. The vessels serve two purposes: one providing a faster form of transport for locals to get around the more remote parts of Norway, and secondly as expedition ships that take guests to exciting destinations that they can immerse themselves in.
I found myself full of adrenaline after I had been kayaking among the Art Nouveau buildings on a stop in Alesund before jumping into the icy waters for a swim.
Rather than rushing through dinner to be on time for live on-board entertainment in the evening, guests swap stories about the nature and scenery they discovered on excursions and are served local delicacies including king crab and reindeer (it tastes like chicken liver).
The main entertainment can be found in the glass covered Havblikk Bar on deck nine where, while cradling a warming old fashioned whisky cocktail, I joined others gazing out the windows trying to catch a glimpse of nature’s best show: the northern lights, which sadly didn’t emerge during my time on the ship. But the good news is that Havila Voyages plans to be around for decades.
Martini’s next aim is to get emission-free hydrogen used on board by 2030, meaning there will be plenty of opportunities for sustainable sailings under cleaner air: not just for Saevik’s grandchildren but for me and future generations. Unfortunately, that may not guarantee a glimpse of the aurora borealis.
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How to do it
The 12-day round voyage (Bergen-Kirkenes-Bergen) costs from £1,181 per person based on two people sharing an inside cabin on a choice of departure dates. Price includes accommodation and full board. Flights are not included.
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