Τελευταία νέα
HomeRegional NewsEuropeHavila Castor has arrived in Bergen
Sea travel

Havila Castor has arrived in Bergen

Havila Voyages` second ship, Havila Castor, docked in Bergen early Thursday morning.

Havila Voyages newest ship, Havila Castor, is the world's most environmentally friendly passenger ship, and will operate the classic coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes. On Thursday morning, 5th of May, the ship docked in Bergen for the first time, after a long voyage from the Tersan shipyard in Turkey.

“This is a milestone for our shipping company, and it was great to see the beautiful Havila Castor arrive here to Bergen”, says CEO Bent Martini.

“The crew on board has made a fantastic effort on the voyage from Turkey and arrived much earlier than expected in Bergen. At the same time, they gained a lot of experience from the return voyage with Havila Capella last year and have performed the sailing with significantly less consumption of natural gas (LNG). It is simply impressive what they have achieved”.

State-of-the-art ships – built for the future
Havila Castor has an energy-efficient hull design, created to handle the varied weather along the Norwegian coast. The ship has the world's largest battery pack on a passenger ship with 6.1 megawatt hours (MWh), which means that the ship can sail emission-free for up to 4 hours.

"Our ships are the most environmentally friendly passenger ships that have ever sailed the classic coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes, and already in June, Havila Castor will be the first ship to sail into the world heritage in the Geirangerfjord silently and emission-free," says Martini.

The ship's propulsion is a combination of natural gas (LNG) and the battery pack, which means that the ship already reduces CO2 emissions by up to 30 % and NOX emissions by 90c%. This means that you can call the ships of Havila Voyages the most environmentally friendly ships that sail the coastal route.

“Our investment in climate, environment and sustainability is more than just words. We will deliver, and we deliver from day one on the requirements that were set in the contract with the Ministry of Transport”, Martini explains.

Havila Castor is also built for climate-neutral fuel alternatives such as hydrogen and ammonia. With current technology, gradual blending of biogas will further reduce CO2 emissions.

“We can sail climate-neutral already today, by using biogas as fuel. In the short term, it is about access and price, and we work closely with our supplier to find a solution”, says Martini.

In addition to reduced emissions, some of the ship's properties include heat recovery from sea and cooling water, as well as a food concept that includes food from short-haul and local producers. The menu on board changes during the sailing and will reflect the areas in which Havila Castor sails.

“Our goal is to cut food waste on board, and we have a completely unique food concept which, among other things, means that we do not have a buffet. There has been a lot of positive feedback regarding menus. The concept will certainly see a development along the way, but we believe we have food that contributes to an extra edge in the whole experience of sailing with us”, says Martini.

Unique and intense exercise
Havila Castor will now go through the final preparations before the first roundtrip starts from Bergen on Tuesday 10th of May at 8.30 pm.

“Internally, we use the term to "turn the ship around", and we will be able to do that in just over 5 days. It is a unique and quite hefty exercise, but we will manage it”, says Martini.

“We are very much looking forward to getting the ship on the route along the Norwegian coast – for our passengers, for the coastal communities and for our employees. The countdown has started and we look forward to the maiden voyage”.

During the roundtrip, Havila Castor will visit 34 ports along the Norwegian coast in 11 days.

“We have been waiting for the delivery of Havila Castor, to deliver on our mission and agreement with the Norwegian authorities. At the same time, we have a state-of-the-art ship with large cabins and a stylish Nordic design that our passengers will be able to enjoy to the fullest”, concludes a proud Martini.

Co-Founder & Chief Editor - TravelDailyNews Media Network | Website | + Posts

Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.

She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.

15/05/2023
12/05/2023
11/05/2023
10/05/2023
09/05/2023