In April 2016, Hurtigruten AS placed two newbuildings under reserve from Kleven Verft , which were to go into service in July 2018 and 2019.
The Fridtjof Nansen was commissioned from Kleven Verft on June 30, 2016, together with the sister ship Roald Amundsen . The Fridtjof Nansen was originally supposed to be delivered in summer 2019. She ran on December 9, 2018 from the stack . The first trips should have been made from Hamburg from April 2020 . Due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the planned trips had to be canceled.
The development and construction of the Fridtjof Nansen is part of a $ 850 million investment by Hurtigruten AS with the aim of building the most environmentally friendly expedition fleet in the world. The type ship Roald Amundsen has been in service since July 2019. A third ship was ordered in October 2018 and is scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2021.