Named in ice - with ice: First hybrid powered expedition cruise ship named in Antarctica

Hybrid powered expedition cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen, the Green Pioneer, is making history as the first ship ever to be named in Antarctica. Her godmother is polar pioneer Karin Strand.

MS Roald Amundsen Cruise Ship; @global.hurtigruten.com/

Hurtigruten is introducing the next generation of hybrid battery-powered cruise ships.

Have you tried snowshoeing in Antarctica? It’s the perfect opportunity to hike where no one has ever hiked before. Hurtigruten’s hybrid-powered MS Roald Amundsen made maritime history by being first cruise ship in the world to sail purely on battery power – as she left Kleven yard for her maiden voyage off the coast of Norway in late June.

Instead of the traditional bottle of champagne, MS Roald Amundsen’s explorer heritage will be honored by naming the vessel with a chunk of ice. The naming ceremony will take place this week.

Hybrid powered expedition cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen, the Green Pioneer, is making history as the first ship ever to be named in Antarctica. Photo: ESPEN MILLS/Hurtigruten

“We can think of no better place to name the truly unique MS Roald Amundsen than the waters of Antarctica – where no ship has ever been christened before,” Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam says.

Named after polar hero Roald Amundsen – who led the first expedition to traverse the Northwest Passage, the first expedition to the south pole and the first expedition proven to have reached the North Pole – the MS Roald Amundsen naming ceremony is honoring his legacy with a ritual invented by Amundsen himself.

When christening his famed expedition ship “Maud” in 1917, Roald Amundsen switched the traditional bottle of champagne for a chunk of ice. Before crushing the ice against her bow, he stated:

“It is not my intention to dishonor the glorious grape, but already now you shall get the taste of your real environment. For the ice you have been built, and in the ice, you shall stay most of your life, and in the ice, you shall solve your tasks”.

Hurtigruten and godmother polar pioneer Karin Strand will use the same ritual when naming MS Roald Amundsen.

“To honor Roald Amundsen and his explorer heritage, we will revive his ritual. With over 125 years of Polar experience, Hurtigruten will use the first-ever ship naming ceremony in Antarctica to pay our respects to our oceans, the environment and past and present explorers,” added Skjeldam.

Specially designed for exploring some of the most spectacular waters of the planet, MS Roald Amundsen features groundbreaking green technology.

The hybrid-powered expedition cruise ship is using battery packs to support her low-emission engines and will reduce CO2 emissions with more than 20 % compared to other cruise ships of the same size.

– This opens a new chapter in maritime history. MS Roald Amundsen is the first cruise ship equipped with batteries, something deemed impossible just a few years back. With the introduction of MS Roald Amundsen, Hurtigruten sets a new standard not only for cruising, but for the entire shipping industry to follow, said Skjeldam (pictured).

The stunning scenery will be reflected in a modern Scandinavian design – with features spanning from the high-tech Amundsen Science Center, vast observation decks, an infinity pool, panoramic sauna, wellness center, three restaurants, bars, Explorer Lounge, aft-facing suites with private outdoor hot tubs, and the laidback atmosphere that creates the special Hurtigruten on board feel.