I took a Greenland cruise on a hybrid ship, this left me speechless

An Arctic voyage on one of the world’s most sustainable ships revealed that cruising is heading in the right direction.

There’s nothing like drifting among icebergs in the Arctic Circle to focus the mind on our fragile planet. 

The World Heritage Ilulissat Icefjord in Greenland is the most prolific ice machine in the northern hemisphere; since the 1850s observations of its prodigious glacier, Sermeq Kujalleq, have informed our knowledge of the effects of climate change.

On board the MS Fridtjof Nansen, I’m floating in a Narnia-scape of frozen white under a piercing blue sky, the angled afternoon sunlight turning the sea’s surface to mercury. It’s a scene too beautiful for words, but the thought that future generations might not be able to witness this also leaves me speechless. They have as much right to experience Earth’s most extraordinary places as we do. We cannot screw this up for them.

Cruising is not, as we know, the most environmentally sound way to see the world. Some analyses, such as those by the International Council on Clean Transportation, suggest our individual carbon emissions more than double on a cruise ship compared to road or air travel. So it’s some comfort to know I’m visiting the Arctic aboard one of the world’s most sustainable ships.

The Fridtjof Nansen is one HX Expeditions’ two hybrid vessels that can drift silently and emissions-free on battery charge in ecologically sensitive areas (though a lack of charging infrastructure means we don’t do this in Greenland). During our 12-day voyage the ship is also taking ocean, atmospheric and climatic readings to enhance global understanding of polar environments and assist climate modelling and marine conservation. The cost of my trip is supporting local communities and environmental conservation via grants from the HX Foundation.

The Fridtjof Nansen is one HX Expeditions’ two hybrid vessels that can drift emissions-free on battery charge. Picture: Supplied.

The company has pledged that its direct operations will be carbon neutral by 2040. In the meantime, it’s making concerted efforts to ease the impact of its operations in the Arctic, Antarctica and Galápagos Islands.

HX and its sister company, Hurtigruten, both use hybrid ships. One of the few other companies to do so is also Norwegian. The smaller Havila line runs four cutting-edge coastal cruisers between Bergen and Kirkenes, visiting 34 ports on a famously scenic sea voyage. In Geirangerfjord it runs entirely on hydro-powered batteries for serene, emissions-free connections in a fjord so vast and magnificent it’s protected by Unesco.

Havila is owned by 84-year-old Per Saevik, a fisherman turned shipping magnate who made a fortune working for the oil industry and now champions ambitious action on reducing cruise-ship pollution. His four vessels, all built and launched since 2021, run on a mix of battery power and liquefied natural gas, a so-called “cleaner” fossil fuel that emits 35 per cent less CO2 than the heavy fuels and marine diesels that the majority of cruise ships run on.

The smaller Havila line runs four cutting-edge coastal cruisers between Bergen and Kirkenes. Picture: Supplied.

The company has its sights set on emissions-free cruising by 2030, and is actively investigating ways that hydrogen can power large, zero-emission ships in future and allow them to cover longer distances at higher speeds.

The cruise industry as a whole has a stated goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 but Saevik believes it should aim to reach that milestone sooner.

“We have already proven with our coastal cruise ships that emissions could be reduced significantly with today’s technology,” he says. “Most of this technology is also scalable for larger vessels.”

The World Heritage Ilulissat Icefjord in Greenland is the most prolific ice machine in the northern hemisphere.

Reducing cruising’s reliance on fossil fuels requires a joint effort from operators, suppliers, technology developers and governments.

“I am by nature a technology optimist and believe that the industry as a whole will find the solutions necessary if the regulatory framework requires it, or if the demand side shifts towards carbon-neutral solutions,” he says.

But surely the demand from consumers is already there, especially when they’re standing frozen in front of an awe-inspiring icefield in the Arctic. As Saevik concedes himself, “We must never forget that we (the cruise industry) have a great responsibility to take care of our waters, ocean and coastline for future generations.

The Yangtze River Three Gorges 1 is a has a massive battery that allows for zero-emissions cruising on the Yangtze River.

“The nature (that) we in the travel industry showcase is not ours – we are just temporary custodians. With that comes a great responsibility to pollute as little as possible and minimise the impact of our operations on nature.”

Interestingly, China, for years vilified as a climate vandal, is now leading the charge when it comes to electric cruising. The Yangtze River Three Gorges 1, launched in 2022, is a 1300-passenger pleasure craft with a massive battery that allows for zero-emissions cruising on the Yangtze River using hydroelectric power from the Three Gorges Dam.

Battery power

In May, Hobart shipbuilder Incat launched the China Zorrilla, the world’s biggest battery-powered ferry – and the largest fully electric vehicle ever built – which will soon transport passengers and cars between Buenos Aires and the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo.

Kendall Hill travelled in Greenland as a guest of HX Expeditions.

Originally published as I took a Greenland cruise on a hybrid ship, this left me speechless