Hurtigruten’s battery hybrid powered expedition cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen has made history, exploring waters further south than any Hurtigruten ship has ever been in the Norwegian expedition cruise line’s 127 years of history.
After crossing the Antarctic circle earlier this month, MS Roald Amundsen‘s Captain Torry Sakkariassen and his crew continued to push south. At 4.15pm, Antarctica time on 19 February, the vessel reached the ice edge at 70°10.208’ south.
“Our guests are thrilled. This is what Hurtigruten’s expedition cruises are all about, pushing new frontiers and creating unique experiences for guests from all over the world. We are exploring in the footsteps of the polar hero Roald Amundsen himself,” said Captain Sakkariassen.
MS Roald Amundsen is the world’s first hybrid powered cruise ship, equipped with large battery packs that significantly reduce emissions. As with her sister ship MS Fridtjof Nansen (sailing her maiden voyage this spring) MS Roald Amundsen’s specially designed ice-strengthened hull allows her to operate in areas most other ships cannot.
With a growing fleet of 16 small and custom-build ships, Hurtigruten is the world’s largest and leading expedition cruise line, offering expedition cruises to more than 200 destinations in over 40 countries.
After exploring the ice-laden areas at 70 degrees south in sub-zero temperatures southwest of Charcot Island, MS Roald Amundsen’s guests and crew made their way back north. They will explore a variety of landing sites around the Antarctic Peninsula and the Falkland Islands, before returning to Chile and the last two expedition cruises of the 2019/2020 Antarctica season.
Images supplied by Hurtigruten and crew.
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