This week, Havila Voyages is sailing its first climate-neutral voyage along the Norwegian coastal route.
The coastal route vessel Havila Polaris is bunkered with a total of 350 cubic metres of biogas for the 12-day journey from Hammerfest to Bergen and back. This volume reduces CO₂ emissions by more than 90 percent and shows that more environmentally friendly sea transport is already possible today.
Proving emission reductions Today
– We have a responsibility for the people and local communities along our unique coastline. And we know that biogas is already a real solution for sailing the coastal route with very low emissions without having to make technical changes to our vessels, says Bent Martini, CEO of Havila Voyages.
Martini calls for political framework conditions to be put in place to enable climate-neutral operations on the coastal route. This is supported by Maritime CleanTech.
– It is very positive to see that Havila Voyages is taking the lead and taking concrete steps to reduce emissions from the coastal route. Biogas is a transitional solution that delivers rapid cuts here and now, while new technology is being developed and scaled, says interim CEO Håvard Tvedte at Maritime CleanTech.
Ongoing consultation on the future coastal route
A consultation on the future coastal route is currently underway, initiated by the Norwegian Ministry of Transport. It concerns how transport needs along the coast may look after 2030, what environmental impacts the coastal route has, and the potential for further tightening of environmental requirements.
– The coastal route from Bergen to Kirkenes has a unique role in developing new technology and value chains. The upcoming tender from 2031 should stimulate emission cuts in the existing fleet, and further developments in zero-emission technology, says Håvard Tvedte.
Maritime CleanTech and partners are now working together to address the importance of setting requirements for climate transition in the new tender period. This will help create demand and investment both in infrastructure and vessels.
Havila Voyages believes that stricter environmental requirements in the next coastal route tender period should be an absolute minimum, and according to Bent Martini, they have no plans to change their ambitions for the future:
– If you want to take the lead, you must always expect both support and headwinds. But the recent developments and discussions have shown that the wind is now blowing from another direction. That is why we stand firm on the goal of operating the coastal route climate-neutrally with all four of our vessels from the end of 2028, Martini concludes.
