Norwegian cruise line Havila Voyages is planning the world’s longest climate-neutral cruise, signalling a new era for sustainable sea travel.
Image of Havila Castor used for illustrative purposes/Ved havet/Wikimedia Commons
A new kind of voyage
This autumn, Havila Voyages hopes to test a 12-day round trip from Bergen to Kirkenes and back – a distance of 9,260km – powered by a mix of biogas and battery packs. If successful, it would be the world’s longest climate-neutral cruise, as told by Euro News.
“Our aim is to fill the tanks 100% with biogas and combine that with our battery technology,” said Havila CEO Bent Martini. “We believe we will succeed.”
What does climate-neutral mean?
Havila’s ships can already run for four hours emission-free using battery packs. The new test voyage will use biogas – a renewable fuel from organic waste – alongside stored battery power to offset emissions across the entire route.
Climate-neutral means balancing or offsetting all greenhouse gases emitted during the journey. By contrast, emission-free means producing no emissions at all. Havila has set its sights on running the Bergen–Kirkenes–Bergen cruise entirely emission-free by 2030.
Why it matters
Cruise ships are among the most carbon-intensive ways to travel. In 2022, the world’s most efficient cruise ships emitted around 250g of CO₂ per passenger-kilometre, compared with 80g for a long-haul flight, 41g for rail and just 19g for ferries (International Council on Clean Transportation).
As a result, cruise lines face mounting pressure to clean up their fleets. Havila’s announcement follows similar initiatives: rival Hurtigruten is developing a zero-emission cruise ship for 2030, while Viking is building the first hydrogen-powered cruise ship, Viking Libra, set for delivery in 2026.
The road – or sea – ahead
Martini has called for stricter environmental regulations to speed up the shift:
“Technology exists, and t
The opportunities are there. With the right requirements from authorities, the coastal route could be a beacon for the green transition in shipping.”
For travellers, this marks a turning point – a chance to experience Norway’s legendary fjord coastline while supporting a future where luxury and sustainability share the same deck.
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