Havila Voyages has the ship of the future

At the Nor-Shipping event in Oslo this week, the world’s most environmentally friendly coastal ship, Havila Capella, received the Next Generation Ship Award.

During the Ocean Leadership Conference at this years Nor-Shipping event in Oslo on Monday April 4th, was Havila Voyages’ ship “Havila Capella” announced as the winner of The Next Generation Ship Award. The ships groundbreaking technology allows her to sail with zero emissions. The award honors a ship project demonstrating the greatest advances and innovation in design with respect to energy efficiency, suitability & flexibility, technology utilization, safety & security, and environmental sustainability for the coming decade. The vessel has been designed by Hav Group and built at the Tersan Shipyard in Turkey.

“It is with great honor we receive the award for our first ship, Havila Capella, the world’s most environmentally friendly ship. We are looking forward to welcoming 3 identical ships later this year forming an integral part of everyday traffic on the historical coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes. Sustainability should mirror everything we do from ship design and all other operations, and this is a challenge we do not take lightly. To be awarded with this valuable recognition from the industry is therefore a prestigious moment and proof of that Havila Voyages’ highly innovative ship technology is a frontrunner towards the green transition of eco-cruiser ships”, says CEO of Havila Voyages, Bent Martini.

Havila Capella is a plug-in hybrid ship with the world's largest battery packs designed for passenger ships. The battery pack weigh 86 tons and have a capacity of 6.1 megawatt hours (MWh). The batteries on board the modern ship allows her to sail for four hours without noise and emissions, meaning she can sail quietly and sustainably through world heritage fjords and pristine surroundings along the Norwegian coastline.

Havila Voyages has spent more than 500 million NOK to make their eco-cruiser ships environmentally friendly, and the battery packs are just one of several measures that cut NOx emissions by around 90 per cent and CO₂ emissions by around 25 per cent. In addition, the ships are built to run on biogas, a practically carbon neutral biofuel telling the most impressing attribute of Havila Capella: She is ready to run with zero emissions. The ship is also prepared to run on hydrogen or ammonia and is therefore a ship built for the future. The ships groundbreaking technology is developed in close partnership with Hav Group, Hav Design, Kongsberg Maritime, and scientific networks.

“Havila Food Stories”, the food concept on board, has sustainability as its most important ingredient. There are no buffets, meaning that guests can enjoy a highly personal Norwegian culinary experience with handpicked Norwegian ingredients from local producers, and a target of maximum 75 grams daily food waste per guest. The concept cuts food waste by a total of 15 tons per ship per year, and to make the ship even more efficient, it has a waste energy recovery system that will make use of the 65 % of fuel energy that is normally lost through the exhaust and cooling water systems.

“Every year the debate to select a winner gets more intense, and 2022 was no exception. It is common knowledge that while fossil fuels will be with us for years to come, there must be a transition to cleaner, more efficient alternatives and the winning vessel is for the moment, powered by the cleanest fossil fuel currently available - LNG but it is intended for future transition to hydrogen when technology and availability permit” says the jury statement from Nor-Shipping.

“Norway`s quiet and unspoiled nature, clean water and fresh air is worth taking care of, both for us and the future generations. Because of that, we are focused on green solutions – for those who follow us to be able to experience the same” says Bent Martini, CEO of Havila Voyages.

CEO Bent Martini will be available for the media at the Norwegian Electric Systems stand (C03-14) from 2.30 PM, Monday April 4th.

Facts about Havila Capella

Registered: Fosnavåg, Norway

• - Length: 124 m
• - Beam: 22 m
• - Gross weight: 15.519 tons
• - Maximum speed: 18,2 knots
• - Average cruising speed: 14-15 knots
• - Cabins: 179 (up to 468 passengers)
• - Passengers: 640 (cabins and port-to-port passengers (172))
• - Built: 2021 at Tersan Shipyard, Turkey

Havila Capella’s main features:

• Runs on Liquid Natural Gas (LNG)
• World’s largest battery pack on a passenger vessel
• Clean hydropower charging
• Heat recovery management
• Energy-efficient hull design
• 4 hours electric sailing with zero emissions
• 15 tonnes food waste reduction per year
• Extremely low noise emittance

About Havila Voyages:

Havila Voyages is a new Norwegian shipping company offering a more environmental responsible way to explore the Norwegian coast.

The company will be operating four brand new ships as part of a ten-year contract with the Norwegian Government to sail the coastal route from Bergen to Kirkenes. The twelve-day return voyage visits 34 different ports sailing through narrow fjords & open seas and travels high up into the Arctic Circle.

The large battery packs fitted to each ship will allow them to sail through the fjords and other vulnerable areas for up to four hours at a time - quietly and emission free. The batteries will then be charged in one of the numerous ports along the route, using clean hydropower.

The new ships showcase a modern & stylish Nordic design and offer 179 spacious cabins, ranging from ten to 45 square meters.

The on-board culinary experience will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of the trip, with menus reflecting Norway’s culinary traditions and using the highest quality Norwegian produce.