On 9 September 2022 Havila Castor sailed into the Hjørundfjord for the first time, entirely emission free.
“The Hjørundfjord is one of two wonders. True enough, Geirangerfjord is on the world heritage list and has several waterfalls and other details that the Hjørundfjord doesn’t have.
“However, when we sail into this fjord, and stop right in between the majestic mountains, surrounded by the amazing view… In my opinion, the Hjørundfjord is just as beautiful and important as The Geirangerfjord.”
Captain Bjørn Ivar Pedersen on Havila Castor could not have asked for a better day to introduce the ship to the Hjørundfjord.
The small coastal cruise ship was almost fully booked, the September sunshine was warmer than usual, and the ripples we leave behind us in the still water are so small that you’d think they originated from t boat with an outboard motor.
“It’s been a while since the last time I was here, and this is the first time ever with Havila Castor, so I’m quite excited”, says the captain from his chair on the bridge on deck 8.
In less than four years, it will be a government requirement that all ships sailing into any Norwegian World Heritage fjord must do so entirely free of emissions.
This means that no ship entering the Geirangerfjord can emit a single gram of CO2. However, Havila Voyages can fulfill this requirement four years ahead of time, meaning that both Havila Capella and Havila Castor have sailed emission free through the world heritage fjord this summer.
The ships sailed into the Trollfjord silently, running solely on battery power a few days earlier.
Havila Voyages plans to continue doing this through the whole period when the fjord is visited, from 1 September to 31 October, on the coastal route’s northbound voyage.
The first of Havila Voyages new ships, Havila Capella, was awarded the prestigious “Next Generation Ship Award 2022”. Havila Voyages claims to be the world’s most eco-friendly shipping company for passenger cruise ships.
