Hurtigruten

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Polarlys - a new generation Hurtigruten ship in the latest colors

Hurtigruten [ hʉrtirʉːtən ] or Hurtigruta [ hʉrtirʉːta ] ( Norwegian for "the fast route ") is the name of the traditional Norwegian mail line that has been connecting the towns of the more than 2,700 kilometers long Norwegian west coast since 1893. Today, the combined freight, passenger and drive cruise the coastline of Norway between Bergen and Kirkenes into six and a half days, the actual postal traffic was stopped 1984th In summer they also pass the Trollfjord and the Geirangerfjord . In addition to its actual function as a means of transport, the Hurtigruten route is now an internationally known tourist attraction .

The profitability of the state-subsidized but privately operated routes has been discussed since 1999. The Norwegian state will continue to support the shipping lines until the end of December 2019.

history

Ship connections along the west coast of Norway (map circa 1888)

In order to understand the importance and necessity of the line connection along the Norwegian coast, it is helpful to take a look at the geographic situation of the country: Today's Norway extends for around 2,650 kilometers in a north-south direction. It has always been the south of the country, which has a relatively mild climate , that has dominated both in terms of population and economic strength. The coastal settlements and communities in the north of the country, who lived from fishing in the fish-rich waters of Lofoten , Vesterålen and the Barents Sea , lacked suitable transport routes for the fish landed, but also for the basic supply of goods and commodities that were locally available could not be established.

From the beginning of the 19th century, for example, there were only sporadic connections between the Lofoten archipelago in the far north and the trading metropolis of Bergen . From 1870 the Hamburg route operated along the coast . Especially in the long winters, the entire north of the country was practically cut off from the outside world. The Norwegian state recognized this north-south divide and looked for ways to better connect the north with transport. With 83,283 kilometers of coastline, merchant shipping was used and from 1875 onwards, based on existing, smaller shipping lines, the first plans were drawn up for a regular, state-funded shipping connection between Stavanger and Bergen in the south and the larger coastal towns in northern Norway.

The beginnings

Bust of the Hurtigruten founder, Captain Richard With

The Hurtigruten was founded by a private shipping company , Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab (VDS), and first sailed between Trondheim and Hammerfest in 1893 . The first regular and, above all, year-round postal service between southern and northern Norway was thanks to the commitment of the experienced captain Richard With . Together with pilot Andreas Holte, he had meticulously kept records of journeys through the waters along the Norwegian coast from 1882 onwards. He was the first to trust himself to drive the route to Hammerfest even at night and in the dark winter months - a gain in speed that was a prerequisite for state subsidies , without which a mail ship connection could not have been financed.

Before that, in the years 1889 and 1890, a concept for the year-round operation of a shipping line along the entire west coast had been developed on behalf of the government by the recognized captain August Kriegsmann Gran, who was in the service of the Oslo Interior Ministry. This resulted in a tender published on April 18, 1891 for a steamboat line. Two years later, on July 2, 1893, the Vesterålen set out from Trondheim to Hammerfest under captain Richard With . On this first route, which took a total of 67 hours, nine places were called: Rørvik , Brønnøysund , Sandnessjøen , Bodø , Svolvær , Lødingen , Harstad , Tromsø and Skjervøy .

The first Hurtigruten ship, the steamer Vesterålen
The Kong Gudrød

Two more Hurtigruten lines followed, so that at the turn of the century there were three mail lines: The first led from Trondheim to Hammerfest, the second from Bergen to Hammerfest and the third from Hammerfest further east to Vadsø - this ended in 1908 to the present day Kirkenes extended. These routes were now driven twice a week - summer and winter.

This changed life for the residents in the impassable coastal region of Northern Norway. The Hurtigruten shaped and united the country. The arduous land route through the rugged landscape could now be avoided. In 1898 the line had been extended south beyond Bergen to Stavanger ; However, as early as 1919 in the more densely populated south of the country, the road and rail links had been expanded to such an extent that mail ship traffic was discontinued in this area. Bergen was and remained the southern starting and turning point of the line.

In the summer of 1922 the Risøyrenna - the Risørinne, a navigable, natural, narrow sea route between the Vesteraalen islands Andøya and Hinnøya - was inaugurated. This is still part of the route of the ships today. From June 1, 1936, a continuous connection was created from the formerly three lines, connecting Bergen in the south with Kirkenes in the north. With immediate effect, a daily departure could be ensured with 14 ships from six shipping companies.

World War II and the post-war period

During the two world wars, in which the second with the occupation of Norway in particular had devastating consequences for the communities in northern Norway, regular mail service was largely impossible. Nevertheless ships of the Hurtigruten were used in coastal traffic and in troop transport; In some cases, the regular service could also be maintained. Most ship losses and accidents were recorded in the period from 1940 to 1945. In order to maintain the supplies for the communities in the north, some of which are vital for survival, the shipping companies, after their Hurtigruten ships were either confiscated or damaged, in the years 1940 to 1945 fell back on small cargo ships and fishing cutters , which were used as transport ships on the Hurtigruten.

The Erling Jarl , put into service in 1949

After the end of the Second World War, only three of the former 14 ships were still navigable. As a result of a large-scale, state-supported ship building program, the Trondheim – Hammerfest route could again be operated daily from 1950. By 1956, a total of ten almost identical ships were put into service, so that regular liner services could be set up again.

While at the beginning of the line ordinary steamers, often bought second-hand, were used, this series was the first to use a special type of ship specially developed for the Hurtigruten. New developments and experiences from previous types flowed into each of the following generation of ships. The appearance and concept of the ships have changed significantly as a result, but they are still types of ships specially designed for this use.

From the 1960s to today

The museum ship Finnmarken from 1956 is now in the Hurtigruten Museum

Until the end of the 1970s, the Hurtigruten was the only supply option for some towns, especially in winter, and was therefore heavily subsidized by the state. Due to the expansion of the road network and the establishment of flight connections, the economic importance of the Hurtigruten decreased, so that today tourism plays a far greater role. However, the Hurtigruten ships still transport freight and commuters from port to port.

With the new builds of the so-called “middle generation” at the beginning of the 1980s, freight transport was rationalized through the introduction of the RoRo principle and the idle time in Bergen could be reduced from one and a half days to eight hours. As a result of this reduction in lay-time, only eleven instead of 14 ships were required on the route. In 1984 the post offices on board the ships were closed and the mail transport on this line ended, so that the ships have not been post ships since then , although they still fly the post flag .

Since the Norwegian state has only granted the subsidies for a limited period and since the end of the 1990s has limited it to the winter half-year, the shipping company is trying to attract more international tourists by using modern ships with greater comfort in order to compensate for the loss of income. In the winter, however, the capacity utilization of the ships is still so low that Hurtigruten makes losses every year.

At the end of 2004, the Norwegian government provided a subsidy package amounting to 1.9 billion Norwegian kroner (this corresponds to around 216 million euros), which ensured regular operations until the end of the winter half-year 2011/12. In 2011, this Hurtigruten contract was extended to the end of 2019 in order to ensure the year-round daily liner service on the route with subsidies of 5.12 billion kroner (around 650 million euros). An end to the daily regular service is not to be expected, as the Hurtigrute continues to be of central importance to the Norwegians, especially in the north of the country. This line connection still bears the honorary designation Riksvei No. 1 ("Reichsstrasse No. 1"). Hurtigruten also plays an important role in marketing the country in international tourism.

Interesting insights into the history of the Hurtigruten from the beginning to the present offers in 1993 Stokmarknes opened Hurtigruten Museum .

Passenger numbers and orientation

A standard cabin on ships from the 1950s

The Hurtigruten ships have carried an average of just over 410,000 passengers a year since the end of World War II. The passenger structure has changed considerably: while in the 1940s and 1950s there were almost exclusively long-distance passengers on board who used the ships as a pure means of transport, largely evenly distributed throughout the year, today it is mainly tourists who use the Hurtigruten for coastal cruises in the summer months or as part of their vacation trip. Without this touristic orientation of the line, it would no longer be possible to operate the ships even anywhere near cost-covering. The shipping companies had a hard time with the rapidly increasing individual traffic since the early 1970s and the expansion of the country's air traffic network. By the end of the 1980s, this had reduced the number of passengers to such an extent that serious considerations were given to discontinuing the Hurtigruten in its former form. Thanks to the consistent focus on tourism requirements , it has been possible to record a significant increase in passenger numbers since the early 1990s , without giving up the character of the post ship . In the meantime, the annual number of passengers has leveled off at around 450,000 passengers per year; around 70 percent of them are round trip passengers, i.e. tourists .

The dining room of the Nordnorge before 2016

The changed orientation is most clearly reflected in the changed equipment of the ships. The new buildings of the 1950s still had relatively small and simple multi-bed cabins, largely without their own wet room, plus only a simple dining room and a cafeteria. In the ships of the middle generation , in addition to the much more comfortable cabins, there were also sleeping rooms called sleeperettes with up to ten simple berths for long -distance passengers; these are no longer available today without replacement.

The ships of the new generation are much more comfortable: In addition to relatively spacious cabins with shower and toilet, they offer a restaurant and café on board as well as other tourist-oriented equipment such as panorama salons, whirlpools, bars and event rooms. The cruise character also includes suites and organized shore excursions, but on the other hand the usual social events such as the captain's dinner and entertainment with theater and music are missing ; Even the clothing of the passengers remains sporty and comfortable even during dinner. Also exclusively for tourist reasons, detours are made in the summer timetable into the Geirangerfjord and the Trollfjord .

Freight development

In the past: loading ships using an on-board crane
Today: The
Lyngen's side loading hatch
Time lapse of the fast freight, vehicle and passenger handling of the MS Nordkapp within six minutes in Ørnes .

While the volume of freight on the Hurtigruten ships has gradually declined since the end of the Second World War, parallel to the increase in private transport, both car and freight transport have developed positively again since the early 1990s. In 1990 around 7,500  cars and around 100,000 tons of freight were transported, in 2002 it was over 55,000 cars and more than 165,000 tons of freight. The main reasons for the constantly increasing freight numbers are that the new loading technology introduced on all ships since the beginning of the 1990s resulted in a very efficient loading and unloading strategy, which made it possible to offer relatively cheap freight rates. All ships used, with the exception of the old Lofoten , have a side loading hatch through which freight and cars can quickly reach the freight deck (deck 2 or deck B) with the help of a freight elevator. This technology meant enormous time and manpower savings compared to loading using an on-board crane, which was common up until the 1980s, in which every piece of freight and every car had to be laboriously lifted on board individually.

Line and timetable

The Hurtigruten ships operate according to a fixed timetable. A ship leaves Bergen at the same time every day and returns to the port of departure after twelve days. The usual speed is 15 knots. For the ports called on the line, especially those in Northern Norway, the daily arrival of the Hurtigruten ship is a constant in the daily routine of the residents; Even temporary changes in the departure times of ships - or even the failure of a ship - are worth a detailed report in the local media. Not only goods and people reach the most remote villages with the ships, medical appointments, visits to the authorities and family visits are also made with the liner ships. In the small ports of call in the very north of the country, the ships also fulfill a further social function: During the half-hour berth, residents of the towns go on board to drink coffee together in the cafeteria, exchange information and read the latest magazines supply. These so-called kaffegjengs then leave the ship immediately before casting off.

The Hurtigruten Terminal in Bergen
The Hurtigruten route
Ports that are called from south to north
Day port Incoming Expiring Remarks
1 Mountains 8:00 p.m. In the winter timetable (September 15 to April 14) 10:30 pm
2 Florø 02:00 02:15 In the winter timetable 04: 30-04: 45
2 Måløy 04:15 04:30 In the winter timetable 06: 45-07: 30
2 Torvik 07:15 07:30 In the winter timetable 10: 20–10: 45
2 Ålesund 08:45 09:30 In the winter timetable 12: 00-15: 00
2 ( Geiranger ), ( Hjørundfjord ) 13:25 13:30 Only during the summer schedule until the end of August ( embarkation and disembarkation with a tender boat ), in September and October a trip to the Hjørundfjord
2 Molde 21:45 22:15 In the winter timetable 17: 30–18: 30
3 Kristiansund 01:45 02:00 In the winter timetable 22: 00-23: 00
3 Trondheim 08:30 12:00 In the winter schedule, 6 a.m. to 12 p.m.
3 Rørvik 8:45 pm 21:15
4th Brønnøysund 00:45 01:00
4th Sandnessjøen 03:45 04:15
4th Nesna 05:25 05:30 After leaving Nesna, the Arctic Circle is crossed at around 7:15 a.m.
4th Ørnes 09:15 09:30
4th Bodø 12:30 15:00
4th Stamsund 19:00 7:30 p.m.
4th Svolvær 21:00 22:00
5 Stokmarknes 01:00 01:15
5 Sortland 02:45 03:00
5 Risøyhamn 04:15 04:30
5 Harstad 06:45 08:00
5 Finnsnes 11:15 11:45
5 Tromso 14:30 18:30
5 Skjervøy 22:30 22:45
6th Øksfjord 02:00 02:15
6th Hammerfest 05:15 06:00
6th Havøysund 08:45 09:15
6th Honningsvåg 11:15 14:45 The North Cape can be reached from here
6th Kjøllefjord 17:00 17:15
6th Mehamn 19:15 7:30 p.m. The northernmost Hurtigruten port
6th Berlevåg 21:45 22:00 Until 1974 there was no pier here, passengers and cargo were disembarked
7th Båtsfjord 23:45 00:15
7th Vardø 03:15 03:30
7th Vadsø 06:45 07:15 Will only be approached on the northern route
7th Kirkenes 09:00

The turning point of the Hurtigruten ships is in Kirkenes. From here it's almost the same way back. However, the ports called at night on the way there are mainly called during the day on the way back, so that all ports can be reached during the day:

Ports that are called from north to south
Day port Incoming Expiring Remarks
7th Kirkenes 12:30
7th Vardø 15:45 16:45
7th Båtsfjord 19:45 20:15
7th Berlevåg 22:00 22:15
8th Mehamn 00:45 01:00 The northernmost Hurtigruten port
8th Kjøllefjord 02:45 03:00
8th Honningsvåg 05:30 05:45 The North Cape can be reached from here
8th Havøysund 07:45 08:00
8th Hammerfest 10:45 12:45
8th Øksfjord 3:30 p.m. 15:45
8th Skjervøy 19:00 19:45
8th Tromso 23:45 01:30
9 Finnsnes 04:15 04:45
9 Harstad 08:00 08:30
9 Risøyhamn 10:45 11:00
9 Sortland 12:30 13:00
9 Stokmarknes 14:15 15:15 The Hurtigruten Museum is located here
9 Svolvær 18:30 20:30
9 Stamsund 22:00 22:30
10 Bodø 02:30 04:15
10 Ørnes 07:00 07:15 After leaving Ørnes, the Arctic Circle is crossed at around 9.15 a.m.
10 Nesna 11:00 11:15
10 Sandnessjøen 12:30 13:00
10 Brønnøysund 15:45 17:00
10 Rørvik 20:30 21:30
11 Trondheim 06:30 10:00
11 Kristiansund 16:30 17:00
11 Molde 21:15 21:30
12 Ålesund 00:30 01:00
12 Torvik 02:15 02:30
12 Måløy 05:15 05:45
12 Florø 07:45 08:15
12 Mountains 14:30

The time spent in the ports is measured both according to the time required for loading and unloading as well as according to the tourist importance of the port or city. Some ports have lay times of up to six hours. With such lay times, tourists have the option of participating in organized shore excursions and sightseeing. There is also the possibility of booking excursions with several days in shore from on board.

Former Hurtigruten ports

Over the years the route has changed a little in parts for various reasons. This happened mainly due to economic or nautical requirements. The following landing stages or ports have been removed from the Hurtigruten route plan (from north to south):

The Midnatsol under the Herøybrua on the way to Torvik (February 2007)

Ship encounters

The Nordkapp and the Polarlys meet in Molde
Positions at which north and south going ships regularly meet on the route
Day northbound Day going south time meeting point comment
2 12 4:50 a.m. between Måløy and Torvik (only summer timetable)
2 12 6:15 am between Florø and Måløy (only winter timetable)
2 11 9:30 p.m. in the port of Molde (only summer timetable)
2 11 19:30 o'clock between Molde and Kristiansund (only winter timetable)
3 11 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in the port of Trondheim
3 10 8:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. in the port of Rørvik
4th 10 8:15 a.m. between Nesna and Ørnes
4th 9 8:15 pm between Stamsund and Svolvær
5 9 8:00 a.m. in Harstad harbor
5 8th 9:30 p.m. between Tromsø and Skjervøy
6th 8th 9.15 a.m. off the island of Havøy
6th 7th 11:00 p.m. at Berlevåg

When the ships meet at sea, the following signals are given: The northbound ship gives twice long, once short and the southbound ship twice long, once short, once long . You are greeted by a horn during the day and by headlights in the dark, with the northbound ship usually greeting first.

Distances on the Hurtigruten

In summer, the northbound route from Bergen via Geiranger to Kirkenes is 1,460  nautical miles (2,704 km) and the southbound route back is 1,335 nautical miles (2,472 km). The ships thus cover a total of 2,795 nautical miles (5,176 km) in one revolution. In winter, the Geirangerfjord on the northbound route and the Trollfjord on the southbound route are not called, which reduces the total distance traveled to 2,670 nautical miles (4,945 km).

Hurtigruten shipping companies

Since the Hurtigruten was founded, nine different shipping companies have operated the ships on the Hurtigruten. By the middle of the 20th century there were six independent shipping companies that operated the route with their own ships. In the mid-1970s, economic pressures led to mergers and mergers. In 1979 the merger of the DSDS with the BDS resulted in the TFDS and at the end of the 1980s the shipping companies ODS and VDS merged to form OVDS. These two, after the exit of the FFR in 1996, the last remaining shipping companies, the TFDS and the OVDS, merged again on March 1, 2006 to form the Hurtigruten Group ASA, which today operates all ships on this line; from April 2007 under the name Hurtigruten ASA and since 2015 as Hurtigruten AS . The NDS and the FFR had previously withdrawn from liner service on the route.

In addition to the ships on the traditional Hurtigruten, the shipping company Hurtigruten ASA operated other scheduled connections in Norway. These are mainly smaller ferry connections in the north of the country. Both the shipping company's logo and the Hurtigruten lettering can be found on various vehicles that have nothing to do with the traditional post ship line.

The chimney colors of all Hurtigruten ships since 2006

All previous shipping companies :

  • Hurtigruten ASA - renamed after a company resolution in March 2007
  • Hurtigruten Group ASA - After the merger of TFDS and OVDS on March 1, 2006 to March 2007
  • TFDS - Troms Fylkes Dampskibsselskap A / S (from 1979 to March 1, 2006)
  • OVDS - Ofotens og Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskap A / S (from 1988 to March 2006)
  • ODS - Ofotenske Dampskibsselskap A / S (from 1936 to 1988, merger with VDS)
  • VDS - Vesteraalske Dampskibsselskab (from 1893 to 1988, merger with ODS)
  • BDS - Det Bergenske Dampskibsselskab (1894–1979)
  • NFDS - Nordenfjeldske Dampskibsselskab (1895–1989)
  • DSDS - Det Stavangerske Dampskibsselskab (1919-1979)
  • NDS - Nordlandske Dampskibsselskab (1945–1958)
  • FFR - Finnmark Fylkesrederi og Ruteselskap A / S (1988–1996)

In 2018, the Samferdselsdepartementet announced that it would split the operation of Hurtigruten between Hurtigruten AS and the Havila Group from 2021 to 2030 .

Hurtigruten ships

Current ships of the Hurtigruten

There are three categories of ships currently in use: the traditional generation , the middle generation and the new generation . All three ship generations have in common that they have both cargo and passenger capacities and have been specially designed for use on the Hurtigrute. Also, all ships are always on the port side at the pier, as the cargo hatches and passenger bridges are only on this side.

The traditional generation (Etterkrigsflåten)

The former Hurtigruten ship Nordstjernen with the Lyngen Alps in the background
The Lofoten , the last remaining ship of the traditional generation

From today's point of view, this generation of ships can no longer be considered contemporary. In terms of noise insulation, comfort and equipment, the cabins cannot be compared to the ships of the new generation . Loading and unloading freight using an on-board crane is also time-consuming and laborious. Nevertheless, the remaining ship of this generation, the Lofoten from 1963, is particularly popular with tourists, as it reflects, like hardly any other ship in Europe, the nostalgic character of the old mail ships. It is still used all year round on the route. The Nordstjernen from 1955 was also in service until March 2012 . It has been modernized and now runs expedition cruises to Spitsbergen . As the ship with the longest service life to date in the Hurtigruten service, the Nordstjernen was placed under monument protection and renovated in 2013. The Finn brands from the year 1956 in Norway as a technical cultural monument as a historical monument and can in Hurtigruten Museum in Stokmarknes be visited.

Surname Construction year measurement length width Passengers Shipyard Status / whereabouts
Lofoten II 1964 2,621 GT 87.40 m 13.30 m 400 A / S Akers mekaniske selling in service

The middle generation (Mellomgenerasjonen)

Rear view of a mid-generation ship before the conversion

The curriculum vitae of these ships, now referred to as the middle generation , reflects the decisive turning point in the fleet policy of the Hurtigruten shipping companies in the 1980s. For the first time, storage spaces for containers were provided at the stern of the ships for freight transport . However, this concept did not prove itself, as the expectations of the planned container transport were far from being fulfilled, while the cabin capacities were insufficient.

Vesterålen , the last remaining middle-generation ship

In 1988 it was decided to convert the three sister ships of this generation. With this conversion, they were given a new cabin structure instead of the container spaces at the rear. With this, and with the additional panorama salon set up amidships, both the cabin seats were almost doubled and the comfort for the passengers was considerably improved. The good experience gained with this new concept flowed significantly into the design of the following generation (s) of ships. With the conversion of this generation of ships, the restructuring of the entire Hurtigruten fleet policy began from a pure transport ship for long-distance passengers to a comfort-oriented cruise ship.

After the sale of the Lyngen and the Narvik in 2007, only one medium-generation ship is still in service.

Surname Construction year measurement length width Passengers Shipyard Status / whereabouts
Vesterålen  III 1983 6,291 GT 108.60 m 16.50 m 510 Kaarbø's Mekaniske Verkstad in service

The New Generation (De Nye Skipene)

The Kong Harald , the first ship of the new generation
The Fram
The Richard With (1993), named after the founder of the Hurtigruten on the voyage between Svolvær and Kabelvåg (2015)
The Nordnorge docks in Rørvik

When designing the first units of this new generation of Hurtigruten ships, the shipping companies opted for a type of ship that is comparable to a small cruise ship in terms of equipment and comfort. For the first time, suites, wellness areas and swimming pools were set up on the ships. This also made it possible to use these ships - especially in the winter months with few passengers - as so-called expedition ships outside of the Hurtigruten, thus opening up new areas of business. The most recent new build, the Fram , is also based on this concept, but will initially only be used as an expedition ship. Despite their basic concept, the ships of this generation vary greatly in size, design and equipment, so that they cannot be classified as sister ships . What all ships of this generation have in common, however, is the conspicuously positioned panorama salon above the bridge on deck 7 or 8, which offers passengers a good view even in bad weather.

Surname Construction year measurement length width Passengers Shipyard Status / whereabouts
Finnmarks  III 2002 15,539 GT 138.50 m 21.50 m 1000 Kleven Verft A / S in service
Fram 2007 11,647 GT 113.86 m 20.20 m 318 Fincantieri - Cantieri Navali Italiani SpA used as an expedition ship
Kong Harald  II 1993 11,204 GT 121.80 m 19.20 m 691 Volkswerft Stralsund GmbH in service
Midnatsol IV 2003 16,151 GT 135.75 m 21.50 m 1000 Fosen Yards in service / from 2016 as an expedition ship
Nordlys II 1994 11,204 GT 121.80 m 19.20 m 691 Volkswerft Stralsund GmbH in service
Northern Norway  IV 1997 11,384 GT 123.30 m 19.50 m 691 Kleven Verft A / S in service
North cap 1995 11,386 GT 123.30 m 19.50 m 691 Kleven Verft A / S in service
Polarlys III 1996 11,341 GT 123.00 m 19.20 m 737 Ulstein Verft AS in service
Richard With  II 1993 11,205 GT 121.80 m 19.20 m 691 Volkswerft Stralsund GmbH in service
Trollfjord 2002 16,140 GT 135.75 m 21.50 m 822 Fosen Yards In service
Spitsbergen 2009 7,025 GT 97 m 18 m 320 Estaleiros Navais de Viana do Castelo Commissioned in 2016 after renovation

Expedition ships

On April 25, 2016, Hurtigruten AS announced that it had ordered two new expedition ships with delivery in 2018 and 2019 from the Norwegian shipyard in Kleven . Both ships have an environmentally friendly hybrid drive and mainly operate cruises in the Arctic and Antarctic. The ships are named after the Norwegian polar explorers Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen .

The delivery of the type ship was postponed several times and took place on June 25, 2019. The Fridtjof Nansen was delivered on December 20, 2019 with a delay.

Surname Construction year measurement length width Passengers Shipyard Status / whereabouts
Roald Amundsen 2019 21,765 GT 140 m 23.60 m 530 Kleven Verft A / S, N. in motion
Fridtjof Nansen 2019 21,765 GT 140 m 23.60 m 530 Kleven Verft A / S in motion

New buildings

Hurtigruten AS agreed options with Kleven to build two further sister ships of the Roald Amundsen . In October 2018, a third ship was ordered for delivery in 2021.

The Template: future / in 5 yearsshipping company Havila Kystruten AS , which will be involved in the operation of Hurtigruten from 2021 to 2030 following a decision by the Samferdselsdepartementet, is having four new ships built. In June 2018, the shipping company signed a preliminary contract with Hijos de J. Barreras in Vigo for the construction of two ships. They should cost around 200 million euros per ship, have a capacity for 700 passengers and run on LNG . Two more ships were ordered from Tersan Shipyard.

In 2019, the construction of the ships at J. Barreras was stopped. The ships are now also to be completed at Tersan Shipyard.

Surname Construction year measurement length width Passengers Shipyard Status / whereabouts
2021 21,765 GT 140 m 23.60 m 530 Kleven Verft A / S
Havila Polaris 2021 15,812 GT 700 Hijos de J. Barreras, Vigo, Spain
Tersan Shipyard, Turkey
Havila Pollux 2021 15,812 GT 700 Hijos de J. Barreras, Vigo, Spain
Tersan Shipyard, Turkey
Havila Capella 2021 15,812 GT 700 Tersan Shipyard, Turkey
Havila Castor 2021 15,812 GT 700 Tersan Shipyard, Turkey

Retired Hurtigruten ships

Since the beginning of shipping on the Hurtigruten, a large number of ships have been in use, which have been sold over the years, lost due to accidents or acts of war, or have been taken out of service.

On board the Finnmarken (1956)
The former Harald Jarl in the port of Trondheim
The former Lyngen
The former Narvik in Trondheim
Sjøkurs , the former Ragnvald Jarl
The steamer Sirius , the second Hurtigruten ship
The Erling Jarl
The former Polarlys
Ship type Surname shipyard Construction year Working time Shipping company
MS Alta Trosvik Mekaniske Verksted, Brevik 1950 1950-1967 NFDS
DS Ariadne Nylands mekaniske verksted , Oslo 1930 1939-1941 DFDS
DS Astreæa Akers mekaniske verksted , Christiana 1900 1900-1910 DFDS
DS Barøy I Trondhjems Mekaniske Verksted , Trondheim 1929 1929-1941 VDS
MS Barøy II Trondhjems Mekaniske Verksted , Trondheim 1952 1953-1964 ODS
DS Capella Martens, Olsen & Co., Laksevåg 1885 1898-1940 NFDS
DS Christiania Helsingør Jernskibs & Maskinbyggeri, Helsingør 1895 1899-1944 DSDS
DS Dronning Maud Fredrikstad Mekaniske Verksted, Fredrikstad 1925 1925-1940 NFDS
DS Dronningen Fevigs Jernskibsbyggeri, Grimstad 1894 1945-1946 VDS
DS Erling Jarl I. Trondhjems Mekaniske Verksted , Trondheim 1894 1895-1943 NFDS
MS Erling Jarl II Cantieri Riuniti dell 'Adriatico, Ancona 1949 1949-1980 NFDS
DS Finnmarken I Trondhjems Mekaniske Verksted , Trondheim 1912 1912-1956 VDS
MS Finnmarks II Blohm + Voss , Hamburg 1956 1956-1999 VDS
DS Haakon Adalstein Charles Mitchell and Company , Newcastle 1873 1902-1930 NFDS
DS Haakon VII Trondheim Mekaniske Verksted, Trondheim 1907 1923-1929 NFDS
DS Haakon Jarl I. Motala Verkstad , Gothenburg 1879 1914-1924 NFDS
MS Haakon Jarl II Aalborg Værft , Aalborg 1952 1952-1982 NFDS
DS Hadsel Moss Værft & Dokk , Moss 1940 1941-1946 NFDS
MS Harald Jarl Trondhjems Mekaniske Verksted , Trondheim 1960 1960-2001 NFDS, TFDS
DS Hera Earle's Shipbuilding & Engineering, Hull 1889 1913-1931 DFDS
DS Irma Sir Raylton Dixon and Company , Middlesbrough 1905 1931-1944 DFDS
DS Jupiter I. Caird & Company , Greenock 1856 1896-1912 DFDS
DS Jupiter II Lindholmens Varv , Gothenburg 1916 1953-1955 DFDS
DS Kong Gudrød Trondhjems Mekaniske Verksted , Trondheim 1910 1929-1935 NFDS
DS Kong Haakon Schömer & Jensen, Tönning 1904 1919-1950 DSDS
DS Kong Halfdan I W. Lindberg Warf & Werkstads, Stockholm 1874 1874-1918 NFDS
DS Kong Halfdan II Shipbuilding company Unterweser, Bremerhaven-Lehe 1923 1925-1944 NFDS
DS Kong Harald I Joh. C. Tecklenborg , Bremerhaven 1890 1919-1950 NFDS
MS Kong Olav Bergens Mekaniske Verksted, Bergen 1964 1964-1997 DSDS
DS Lofoten I Fredrikstad Mekaniske Verksted, Fredrikstad 1932 1932-1964 VDS
DS Lyngen I Trondhjems Mekaniske Verksted , Trondheim 1931 1934-1966 VDS
MS Lyngen II
ex Midnatsol III
Ulstein Hatlø, Ulsteinvik 1982 1982-2007 TFDS
DS Lyra I Bergens Mekaniske Verksted, Bergen 1905 1905-1912 DFDS
DS Lyra II AG Vulcan Stettin , Stettin 1912 1945-1953 DFDS
MS meteor Aalborg Værft, Aalborg 1955 1955-1958 DFDS
DS Midnatsol I. Bergens Mekaniske Verksted, Bergen 1910 1910-1949 DFDS
MS Midnatsol II Cantieri Riuniti dell 'Adriatico, Ancona 1949 1949-1982 DFDS
DS Mira A. and J. Inglis , Glasgow 1891 1927-1937 DFDS
DS Mosques Trosvik Mekaniske Verksted, Brevik 1924 1927-1957 VDS
MS Narvik Trondhjems Mekaniske Verksted , Trondheim 1982 1982-2007 ODS
DS Neptune Joh. C. Tecklenborg , Bremerhaven 1890 1919-1928 DFDS
MS Nordlys I Aalborg Værft, Aalborg 1951 1951-1983 DFDS
DS Northern Norway I Trondheim Mekaniske Verksted , Trondheim 1926 1936-1940 ODS
DS Northern Norway II Motala Mekaniske Verkstad, Motala 1883 1942-1944 ODS
MS Northern Norway III Akers mekaniske Verksted , Oslo 1964 1964-1996 ODS
DS Nordstjernen I Fredrikstad Mekaniske Verksted, Fredrikstad 1937 1937-1954 DFDS
MS Nordstjernen II Blohm + Voss , Hamburg 1956 1956-2012 DFDS
DS Olav Kyrre Martens, Olsen & Co., Bergen 1885 1899-1903 NFDS
DS Orion Robert Steel and Company , Greenock 1874 1898-1903 DFDS
DS Oslo Nylands mekaniske verksted , Oslo 1929 1948-1959 VDS
MS Ottar Jarl Lake Washington Shipyard, Houghton 1929 1947-1955 NFDS
DS Polarlys I Burmeister & Wain , Copenhagen 1912 1912-1951 DFDS
MS Polarlys II Aalborg Værft, Aalborg 1952 1952-1994 DFDS
DS Prins Olav A. and J. Inglis , Glasgow 1908 1937-1940 NFDS
DS Princess Ragnhild I Fredrikstad Mekaniske Verksted, Fredrikstad 1931 1931-1940 NFDS
DS Ragnvald Jarl I. Burmeister & Wain , Copenhagen 1930 1942-1956 NFDS
MS Ragnvald Jarl II Blohm + Voss , Hamburg 1956 1956-1995 NFDS
DS Richard With I Trondhjems Mekaniske Verksted , Trondheim 1909 1909-1941 VDS
DS Rust Trondhjems Mekaniske Verksted , Trondheim 1898 1899-1920 VDS
DS Ryfylke Københavns Flydedok og Skibsvært, Copenhagen 1917 1940-1941 NFDS
DS Saltdal Motala Mekaniske Verkstad, Motala 1884 1946-1976 NFDS
MS Salten Trosvik Mekaniske Verksted, Brevik 1953 1953-1967 NFDS
DS Sanct Svithun I Imperial Shipyard Danzig , Danzig 1927 1927-1943 DSDS
MS Sanct Svithun II Cantieri Riuniti dell 'Adriatico, Ancona 1950 1950-1962 DSDS
DS Sigurd Jarl I. Akers mekaniske Verksted , Oslo 1894 1899-1942 NFDS
DS Sigurd Jarl II Fredrikstad Mekaniske Verksted, Fredrikstad 1942 1942-1960 NFDS
DS Sirius Flensburg shipbuilding company , Flensburg 1885 1894-1940 DFDS
DS Skjerstad Henry Koch shipyard , Lübeck 1925 1945-1958 NFDS
MS Sørøy Trosvik Mekaniske Verksted, Brevik 1949 1950-1966 FFR
DS Tordenskjold Trondheim Mekaniske Verksted , Trondheim 1906 1946-1950 NFDS
DS Vesterålen I Akers mekaniske Verksted , Oslo 1891 1893-1941 VDS
MS Vesterålen II Cantieri Riuniti dell 'Adriatico, Ancona 1950 1950-1983 VDS

Ship names

The lettering on the bow of the former Narvik

When naming the ships, all Hurtigruten shipping companies followed a largely conservative line. If a new building replaced an old unit and this unit was withdrawn from the liner service, the name was usually transferred to the new ship. As a result, relatively few new names entered the fleets. The names themselves were traditionally closely associated with the landscape of Northern Norway or the shipping companies. But names from Norwegian royal (Kong) and princely houses ( Jarl ) also flowed into the naming. A large part of the ship names used today can already be found on former Hurtigruten ships. The name Sanct Svithun, on the other hand, will no longer bear a new Hurtigruten ship after two ships with this name have already been lost in ship accidents.

Shipyards

The ships of the Hurtigruten shipping companies were built at different shipyards. In addition to various larger and smaller Norwegian shipyards, such as Trondheim Mekaniske Verksted , Kaarbø Verft or Fredrikstad Mekaniske Verksted, numerous units have also been built at well-known foreign shipyards. In the 1950s in particular, numerous new buildings were built at Blohm & Voss in Hamburg and at the Italian shipyard Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico in Ancona . The orders for the ships currently in use ( De Nye Skipene ) went to both Volkswerft Stralsund in Germany and Kværner Kleven Ulstein and Fosen Mekaniske Verksted in Norway . The most recent newbuild, the Fram , was delivered in 2007 by the Italian shipyard Fincantieri in Trieste .

Emergencies at sea and safety on board

Memorial stone for the victims of the sinking of the Hera at Havøysund pier
This memorial in Bodø harbor commemorates the victims of the sinking of the Prinsesse Ragnhild

If war-related losses during the Second World War are disregarded, relatively few accidents with personal injury occurred in relation to the annual distance of over one million nautical miles in largely difficult waters. During the Second World War, however, the Hurtigruten shipping companies lost ten ships, and two more were so damaged that they could no longer be used. More than 430 crew and passenger fatalities have been proven, in addition, according to reliable estimates, there are around 200 killed soldiers who were also on board the Hurtigruten ships.

Below is a list of the major sea emergencies with personal injuries since the route was launched:

  • June 17, 1924: The two Hurtigruten ships Haakon Jarl and Kong Harald collided in the Vestfjord between Bodø and Svolvær . The Haakon Jarl sank with the loss of 17 lives.
  • October 6, 1929: The Haakon VII ran into an archipelago at night and with poor visibility off Florø and sank. 18 of the 74 people on board drowned.
  • March 18, 1931: The Hera ran aground near Havøysund ; nine people died and 64 were saved.
  • May 1, 1940: The Dronning Maud was attacked and sunk by three German bombers while docking at Foldvik. 18 people died.
  • June 8, 1940: Nine people died in a German air raid on the ships Prins Olav and Ariadne .
  • October 23, 1940: Around noon the Prinsesse Ragnhild sank in front of Landegode after an explosion ; she had probably run into a sea mine. Of the 455 people on board, only 156 were rescued. Even today a memorial in Bodø harbor commemorates this greatest disaster in the history of the Hurtigruten.
  • September 13, 1941: Around 2 a.m. the Barøy sank between Skutvik and Tranøy due to a British torpedo hit. Out of 131 people on board, only 19 were rescued.
  • September 13, 1941: On the same day the Richard With was hit by torpedoes from the British submarine Tigris at Hammerfest and sank; 99 people were killed.
  • October 17, 1941: Vesterålen sank after a torpedo hit near Hasvik ; 26 crew members and 71 passengers were killed.
  • September 30, 1943: The Sanct Svithun sank around 7:00 p.m. between Ålesund and Havda after an attack by British bombers. 47 passengers and crew members died, 76 were rescued.
  • February 13, 1944: 61 passengers and crew were killed on the Irma in the bay of Hustadvika when their ship was hit by two torpedoes at 6:37 p.m. This accident was particularly tragic as the torpedoes were fired from a motor torpedo boat of the Norwegian Navy.
  • March 24, 1944: At around 9 a.m., the Nordnorge sank off Honningsvåg by two British torpedo hits . Only two of the 13 crew members survived. Passengers were not on board.
  • September 22, 1954: At around 2 a.m., the Nordstjernen ran aground in Raftsund and sank. Five of the more than 220 people on board died.
  • January 8, 1958: While the ship was on the quay at Bodø, a devastating fire broke out in the cabin area on board the Erling Jarl , claiming 14 lives.
  • October 21, 1962: Like the first Sanct Svithun , the second Sanct Svithun sinks . She ran onto a rock in front of Rørvik; 48 people were saved, 42 died. After this disaster, no Hurtigruten ship was given this name.
  • On September 15, 2011, a fire broke out in the engine room of the northbound Nordlys shortly before Ålesund . Two crew members were killed and 16 people injured. The fire could be extinguished at the port of Ålesund, but the ship got list and in danger of sinking.

The sinking of the Sanct Svithun was the last total loss of a Hurtigruten ship to date. This balance is largely due to improved means of navigation, well-trained personnel and the high technical standard of the ships. The crew of every Hurtigruten ship carries out a sea rescue drill every eleven days while it is berthed in the port of Honningsvåg. Different accident scenarios are regularly trained with the crew.

See also

literature

  • Berit Liland: The most beautiful sea voyage in the world. Hurtigruten. Description of the eleven day trip. Nature - culture - history - legends . Forlaget 67N 2007. ISBN 978-82-997206-3-2
  • Reidar Stavseth: Nordover med Hurtigruten . Johan Grundt Tanum Verlag, Oslo 1943, 2nd edition 1968 (Norwegian)
  • Erling Welle-Strand: 2500 nautical miles with the express steamer - A journey on the Hurtigruten , Verlag Grieg, Bergen 1978
  • Mike Bent: Coastal Express - The Ferry to the Top of the World . Conway Maritime Press, London 1987, ISBN 0-85177-446-6
  • Arne Eriksen: Dansen rounds off Hurtigruta . Stallo Forlag Tromsø 2000, ISBN 82-992511-4-1 (Norwegian)
  • Hurtigruten, by mail ship along the Norwegian coast . DuMont Reiseverlag, Cologne 2003, ISBN 3-7701-6301-X .
  • Hurtigruten, in the first row along Norway's coast . DVD 90 minutes, Complete Media GmbH Grünwald 2006, ISBN 3-8312-6627-1
  • Bernd Römmelt: Hurtigruten. The most beautiful cruise in the world . Verlag GeraNova Bruckmann, Munich 2006, ISBN 3-7654-4375-1 .
  • Bakka Jr, Dag: Skipene som tied kysten together - Hurtigruten gjennom hundre år. 1993 (Norwegian). The book documents the lives of all Hurtigruten ships up to 1980 in words and pictures.
  • Kai-Uwe Küchler: Hurtigruten Adventure . Weltbild, Augsburg, ISBN 978-3-8289-3195-4
  • Elisabeth Barthelt: Hurtigruten. Norway's most beautiful sea voyage. A travel seducer . Munich 1994, ISBN 3-9803894-0-5
  • Helfried Weyer: Hurtigruten. With the mail ship through Norway . 3. Edition. Tecklenborg Verlag, Steinfurt 2000, ISBN 3-924044-47-3 .
  • Helfried and Renate Weyer: Hurtigruten in winter. Magic of the polar night . Koehlers Verlagsgesellschaft, Hamburg 2006, ISBN 978-3-7822-0940-3
Reports

Television documentaries

  • ZDF documentary about the Hurtigruten ship MS Finnmarken: Trolls, fjords and a mail ship , 2007.
  • NDR documentary from the Mare TV series : Norway on the Hurtigrute - Fjords, Sea and Mountains , 2008.
  • NDR documentary in the series Das Beste am Norden : Norway's legendary Hurtigruten. The Hurtigruten celebrates its 125th anniversary , broadcast on March 30, 2018 (available in the ARD media library until March 30, 2019; link checked on April 7, 2018)

Web links

Commons : Hurtigruten  - album with pictures, videos and audio files
Wikivoyage: Hurtigruten  travel guide

Individual evidence

  1. Patrick Wagner: History of the Hurtigruten Post Transport Ships: Foundation, emergence of the Post Ships, tourism cruises. Retrieved November 11, 2018 .
  2. Die Hurtigruten ( Memento of the original from September 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.passagierdampfer.de
  3. history . ( Memento of the original from April 25, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. hurtigrutemuseet.no @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.hurtigrutemuseet.no
  4. ^ Hans-Joachim Weiß: picture gallery. ( Memento of the original from September 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Personal homepage @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.hansjoachim-weiss.de
  5. Reidar Stavseth Nordover med Hurtigruten, p. 37ff
  6. The history of the Hurtigruten from 1939 to 1945 ( Memento of the original from March 3, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.norwegische-postschiffe.de
  7. so Römmelt in Hurtigruten - The most beautiful boat trip in the world, p. 13
  8. so Arne Eriksen in Dansen rounds Hurtigruta
  9. Hurtigruten statistics ( Memento of the original from April 27, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.norwegische-postschiffe.de
  10. The timetable for 2008: http://www.norwegen.de/hurtigruten/aktuelles-angebote/Abfahrtstermine-2008.pdf  ( page no longer available , search in web archivesInfo: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.norwegen.de  
  11. Port of Geiranger ( Memento of the original from January 16, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 286 kB) Orthophoto (stranda-hamnevesen.no) @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.stranda-hamnevesen.no
  12. Itinerary in September and October ( Memento of the original from February 21, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.hurtigruten.de
  13. Travel times ( memento of the original from April 26, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.norwegische-postschiffe.de
  14. Rederier . ( Memento of the original from April 25, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. hurtigrutemuseet.no @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.hurtigrutemuseet.no
  15. Hurtigruten
  16. Norway Splits Coastal Service Between Hurtigruten and Havila. March 23, 2018, accessed March 24, 2018 .
  17. hurtigruten.de
  18. Hurtigruten buys Portuguese car and pedestrian ferry "Norway Explorer" (provisional name). June 30, 2015, accessed June 30, 2015 .
  19. MS SPITSBERGEN, this is the name of the new Hurtigruten member. September 7, 2015, accessed September 8, 2015 .
  20. a b c Hurtigruten orders new expedition ships. June 25, 2016, accessed July 4, 2015 .
  21. Hurtigruten newbuildings will be equipped with hybrid drives. February 2, 2017, accessed July 4, 2015 .
  22. Norwegian polar heroes are the namesake of the new Hurtigruten expedition ships. February 2, 2017, accessed July 4, 2015 .
  23. ^ Two New Expedition Ships to be Named after Polar Heroes. October 19, 2016, accessed July 4, 2015 .
  24. Kleven Werft hands over to Fridtjof Nansen. December 23, 2019, accessed December 23, 2019 .
  25. Katrin Groth: On the "Roald Amundsen" in the Antarctic: Greener than others . In: The daily newspaper: taz . February 15, 2020, ISSN  0931-9085 ( taz.de [accessed February 18, 2020]).
  26. Hurtigruten orders new hybrid expedition ship. October 25, 2018, accessed December 29, 2019 .
  27. Havila Will Need to Build Four New Ships in 30 Month Window. March 23, 2018, accessed March 24, 2018 .
  28. Havila Poised to Build Two LNG Cruise Vessels at Barreras. June 6, 2018, accessed June 9, 2018 .
  29. Havila to Build Two Ships at Turkish Shipyard. September 11, 2018, accessed April 7, 2020 .
  30. https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/22003-struggling-barreras-cancels-havila-newbuilds.html
  31. https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/22114-tersan-to-finish-havila-newbuilds.html
  32. ^ Cruise Ship Orderbook. Retrieved April 7, 2020 .
  33. The old ships of the Hurtigrute up to 1945 ( Memento of the original from December 7, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.norwegische-postschiffe.de
  34. Hurtigruten ships
  35. warsailors.com
  36. M / S Erling Jarl (1949)
  37. List over mannskap ved forliset ( Memento of the original from September 27, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.hurtigrutene.info
  38. Entry at NrK / nyheter (Norwegian)
  39. ^ Fire on a Norwegian cruise ship - two dead . orf.at, September 15, 2011
This article was added to the list of excellent articles on October 24, 2007 in this version .