DOCSLIB.ORG

Summary Procedure Description of the Measure

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Summary Procedure Description of the Measure Brussels, 16 August 2018 Case No: 82251 Document No: 919712 Decision No 072/18/COL Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries PO Box 8090 Dep 0032 Oslo Norway [Non-confidential version] [The information in square brackets is covered by the obligation of professional secrecy] Subject: The Coastal Route Contracts Bergen-Kirkenes (2021-2030) Summary (1) The EFTA Surveillance Authority (“the Authority”) wishes to inform the Norwegian authorities that, having assessed the notified public service compensation for the Coastal Route Contracts Bergen-Kirkenes (“the public service compensation”), it considers that the measure does not constitute state aid1 within the meaning of Article 61(1) of the EEA Agreement. (2) The Authority has based its decision on the following considerations. Procedure (3) The Norwegian authorities notified their plans to grant the public service compensation by letter of 22 June 2018.2 Description of the measure 3.1 Background (4) On 29 March 2017, the Authority adopted Decision No 70/17/COL on the Coastal Agreement for Hurtigruten Maritime Services 2012-2019 (“the 2017 Decision”), concluding that the public service compensation to Hurtigruten was compatible aid pursuant to Article 59(2) of the EEA Agreement.3 (5) In the 2017 Decision, with a view to the new tender for the Coastal Route that the Norwegian authorities were planning to launch, in order to cover the period as from 1 January 2021,4 the Authority also provided guidance on how the Norwegian authorities could attain the widest possible opening-up to genuine competition, by taking measures “[…] such as a more limited entrustment in terms of duration or scope, or separate entrustments, for example by (1) Reference is made to Article 4(2) of the Part II of Protocol 3 to the Agreement between the EFTA States on the Establishment of a Surveillance Authority and a Court of Justice. (2) Documents No 919310, 919312, 919314, 919316, 919318, 919320, 919322, 919324, 919326, 919328, 919330, 920452 and 920453. (3) OJ L 158, 21.6.2018, p. 19 and the EEA Supplement No 40, 21.6.2018, p. 1. (4) The current contract includes an option to extend operation until the end of 2020. _______________________________________________________________________ Rue Belliard 35, B-1040 Brussels, tel: +32 2 286 18 11, fax: +32 2 286 18 00, www.eftasurv.int Page 2 unbundling the route into different stretches or day schedules, and in combination with the extension of the time-limit from the deadline for submitting bids until the service start-up date”.5 (6) The new tender was launched on 19 September 2017. This tender resulted in the submission of bids from three operators: Hurtigruten AS (“Hurtigruten”), Havila Holding AS (“Havila”) and Greenships Invest AS (“Greenships”). Tender procedure and awards of contracts (7) The new tender for the Coastal Route was launched by the Ministry of Transport and Communications (“the Ministry”). (8) Given that the Coastal Route service requires eleven routes/departures (and therefore 11 vessels), in order to conduct daily sailings to the specified ports of call and in order to reduce entry barriers and thereby facilitate competition, the service was split into three smaller packages: Package 1: three routes (three vessels) Package 2: four routes (four vessels) Package 3: four routes (four vessels) (9) In particular, according to the tender specifications, the Coastal Route service could be planned as follows: the operator of Package 1 sails from Bergen on days 1, 4 and 7; the operator of Package 2 sails from Bergen on days 2, 5, 8, and 10; and the operator of Package 3 sails from Bergen on days 3, 6, 9 and 11. The cycle then restarts.6 (10) All the tenderers were invited to submit bids on one or more packages. A tenderer could bid for Package 2 and 3, even if it only had the capacity to service one of these packages. In this case, the Ministry would decide which package the tenderer would be awarded (if any). (11) Hurtigruten and Greenships submitted bids for all three packages, whereas Havila submitted a bid for one package of four vessels (either Package 2 or Package 3). (12) The bid from Greenships was rejected as the company did not fulfil all the selection criteria, as specified in the tender documents. (13) The contracts were to be awarded on the basis of the lowest price. (14) The Ministry awarded two contracts to Hurtigruten for three and four vessels respectively, and one contract to Havila for four vessels. The contracts and the compensation for the provision of the Coastal Route services (15) The Coastal Route service consists of the combined transport of persons and goods along the Norwegian coast from Bergen to Kirkenes, as illustrated below: (5) The 2017 Decision, paragraph 113. (6) A different division of the routes can also be established, if parties agree and find it more appropriate. Page 3 The Bergen – Kirkenes route (16) The operation of the service is to have a duration of 10 years, covering the period from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2030. (17) Under the contracts, the operators are to perform daily sailings throughout the year with calls at 32 ports between Bergen and Kirkenes. For the Tromsø – Kirkenes and Kirkenes – Tromsø routes, freight transport are also to be provided. The services are to be operated in line with certain capacity and vessel requirements, as stipulated in the contracts, taking into account certain particularities (i.e. long distances, rough weather, etc.). Vessels used on the coastal route are to have, as a minimum, a passenger capacity for 300 passengers, berth capacity in cabins for 120 passengers and freight capacity for 150 euro pallets of dry and refrigerated cargo. They are also to meet legal, technical and environmental requirements (such as safety and accessibility, and holding valid certificates). (18) Concerning the environmental requirements in particular, in order to reduce emissions from the service by 20% compared to the current emission level, and in line with national environmental regulations and targets, the contracts limit the maximum allowed CO2 emissions from the vessels serving the Coastal Route. The maximum allowed emissions are 162 000 tonnes of CO2 on average for the whole contract period. This implies an increased cost for the operators, compared to the previous contract. Page 4 (19) The contracts include a clause regarding the conclusion of a co-operation agreement between the operators to ensure a sufficiently uniform and cohesive service. This agreement regulates matters such as liability, process and terms on transfer of employees, route planning, mutual information about the service and cargo operations and arrangements, and shall be in compliance with national and EEA competition rules. (20) The compensation for the contracts was determined by a transparent and non-discriminatory public procurement procedure. The Ministry will pay Hurtigruten an annual compensation of NOK 234 million for the three vessels contract and NOK 312 million for the four vessels contract. Havila will receive an annual compensation of NOK 242 million for the four vessels contract. (21) The compensation is expressed in 2018 prices and will be adjusted in accordance with Statistics Norway’s cost index for domestic sea transport. If that index is unavailable, Statistics Norway’s Consumer Price Index will be used. (22) In addition, Hurtigruten’s contracts include a clause concerning adjustment of compensation in case of a significant loss of revenues (due to a considerable reduction in the number of public service passengers for the whole service), should the new operator (i.e. Havila) not perform all or parts of the services entrusted to it for at least consecutive 30 days. Hurtigruten must document that its loss of revenues and the reduction of the public service passengers is directly related to the non-performance by Havila, which, as a result, has affected customer preferences for the whole service. This clause comes into effect only if the loss of revenue constitutes more than 5% of the public service compensation granted by the State. Havila was offered the inclusion of a corresponding clause in its contract, but it declined. (23) According to the contracts, the operators are obliged to report accounting and financial data on the delivery of the public service activities, as well as audited financial statements for both public service and commercial activities. The operators are thus obliged to keep separate accounts for the public service activities on the Coastal Route and other activities outside the scope of the contracts to allow for proper auditing and reporting. (24) The compensation paid for discharging the public service obligations under the contracts is calculated on the classification and estimation of capacity and passenger costs and based on an appropriate allocation methodology. As explained in the 2017 Decision, capacity costs are allocated to the public service activities on the basis of the share of capacity reserved by the state compared to the total capacity of the fleet, whereas passenger costs are allocated on the basis of estimated kilometres sailed by public service travellers relative to the total number of passenger kilometres for all travellers on the fleet.7 Presence of state aid (25) Article 61(1) of the EEA Agreement reads as follows: “Save as otherwise provided in this Agreement, any aid granted by EC Member States, EFTA States or through state resources in any form whatsoever which distorts or threatens to distort competition by favouring certain undertakings or the production of certain goods shall, in so far as it affects trade between Contracting Parties, be incompatible with the functioning of this Agreement”. (7) The 2017 Decision, paragraph 65. Page 5 (26) The qualification of a measure as aid within the meaning of this provision requires that the measure must (i) be granted by the state or through state resources; (ii) confer an advantage on an undertaking; (iii) favour certain undertakings (selectivity); and (iv) be liable to distort competition and affect trade.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Annual Report 2019
    ANNUAL REPORT 2019 Hurtigruten Group AS c/o Hurtigruten AS, Storgata 70, P.O. Box 6144 Langnes, 9291 Tromsø, Norway Booking: +47 810 30 000, Switchboard: +47 970 57 030 Business register number: NO 914 148 324 VAT Hurtigruten Group AS – Group Directors’ Report 2019 Hurtigruten – Leading premium expedition travel company The Hurtigruten Group, through its brand Hurtigruten, is the leading expedition travel company focusing on sustainable expedition cruising. With a fleet of 16 custom-built expedition cruise vessels including the world’s two first hybrid-powered expedition cruise ships delivered in 2019, Hurtigruten is the world’s largest expedition cruise company. It offers a unique gateway to experiences in the Alaska, South America, Arctic, Antarctica, along the Norwegian coast and to other unique destinations to travellers from all over the world. Hurtigruten’s operation builds on a rich and proud Norwegian Expedition Cruises heritage offering the first voyages to Svalbard as early as 1896 and having offered cruises along the Norwegian coast for 126 years. Today, Hurtigruten combines a deeply-rooted desire to offer genuine experiences with world leading experts and the best local food and beverages while leaving a smaller footprint as it shapes the future of the growing adventure travel and expedition cruise market. Along the Norwegian coast, Hurtigruten offers the classic Hurtigruten round trip between Bergen and Kirkenes, often referred to as “The world’s most beautiful voyage”. During the 11-day voyage, guests enjoy the spectacular scenery and highlights such as the Northern Lights or the Midnight Sun. Including Bergen and Kirkenes, the ships call at 34 ports, allowing guests to experience local sights, culture and a large number of active and immersive excursions.
    [Show full text]
  • MS ROALD AMUNDSEN Voyage Handbook
    MS ROALD AMUNDSEN voyage handbook MS ROALD AMUNDSEN VOYAGE HANDBOOK 20192020 1 Dear Adventurer 2 Dear adventurer, Europe 4 Congratulations on booking make your voyage even more an extraordinary cruise on enjoyable. Norway 6 board our extraordinary new vessel, MS Roald Amundsen. This handbook includes in- formation on your chosen Svalbard 8 The ship’s namesake, Norwe- destination, as well as other gian explorer Roald Amund- destinations this ship visits Greenland 12 sen’s success as an explorer is during the 2019-2020 sailing often explained by his thor- season. We hope you will nd The Northwest Passage 16 ough preparations before this information inspiring. departure. He once said “vic- Contents tory awaits him who has every- We promise you an amazing Alaska 18 thing in order.” Being true to adventure! Amund sen’s heritage of good South America 20 planning, we encourage you to Welcome aboard for the ad- read this handbook. venture of a lifetime! Antarctica 24 It will provide you with good Your Hurtigruten Team Protecting the Antarctic advice, historical context, Environment from Invasive 28 practical information, and in- Species spiring information that will Environmental Commitment 30 Important Information 32 Frequently Asked Questions 33 Practical Information 34 Before and After Your Voyage Life on Board 38 MS Roald Amundsen Pack Like an Explorer 44 Our Team on Board 46 Landing by Small Boats 48 Important Phone Numbers 49 Maritime Expressions 49 MS Roald Amundsen 50 Deck Plan 2 3 COVER FRONT PHOTO: © HURTIGRUTEN © GREGORY SMITH HURTIGRUTEN SMITH GREGORY © COVER BACK PHOTO: © ESPEN MILLS HURTIGRUTEN CLIMATE Europe lies mainly lands and new trading routes.
    [Show full text]
  • INAUGURAL SEASON 2020-2021 Antarctica | Greenland & Iceland
    EXPEDITION CRUISES INAUGURAL SEASON 2020-2021 Antarctica | Svalbard | Greenland & Iceland | Norway & Russia | Northwest Passage | North, Central & South America | Europe new Alaska & Canada Content 2020-21 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– We take you far beyond the ordinary 6-7 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Our Expedition Fleet 8-9 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The future is green 10-11 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Antarctica 12-15 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Greenland & Iceland 16-19 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Russia 19 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Svalbard 20-23 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Norway 24-25 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Northwest Passage 26-27 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Alaska & Canada 28-29 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– North & Central America 30 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– South America 31 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Europe 32 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Extend your stay 32-33 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Terms and conditions 34-37 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 2 “Ever since Hurtigruten started sailing polar waters back in 1893, we have been on a constant look out for new worlds to explore.” © HURTIGRUTEN Hurtigruten is an exploration company in the truest sense of the word; our mission is to bring adventurers to remote natural beauty around the world. Our experience in the feld is unparalleled, and we draw on our unique
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report 2018
    ANNUAL REPORT 2018 Hurtigruten Group AS c/o Hurtigruten AS, Fredrik Langes gate 14, P.O. Box 6144 Langnes, 9291 Tromsø, Norway Booking: +47 810 30 000, Switchboard: +47 970 57 030 Business register number: NO 914 148 324 VAT Hurtigruten Group AS – Group Directors’ Report 2018 Hurtigruten - world leader in exploration travel The Hurtigruten Group, through its brand Hurtigruten, is the world leader in expedition travel. With a fleet of 14 custom-built expedition cruise vessels – and the world’s two first hybrid-powered expedition cruise ships under construction – Hurtigruten is the world’s largest expedition cruise company. It offers a unique gateway to experiences in the Arctic, Antarctica, along the Norwegian coast and to other unique destinations to travellers from all over the world. Hurtigruten’s operation builds on a rich and proud Norwegian Expedition Cruises heritage, having connected the many coastal communities in Norway for 125 years, offering the first voyages to Svalbard as early as 1896. Today, Hurtigruten combines a deeply-rooted desire to offer genuine experiences while leaving a smaller footprint as it shapes the future of the growing adventure travel and expedition cruise market. Along the Norwegian coast, Hurtigruten offers the classic Hurtigruten round trip between Bergen and Kirkenes, often referred to as “The world’s most beautiful voyage”. During the 11-day voyage, guests enjoy the spectacular scenery and highlights such as the Northern Lights or the Midnight Sun. Including Bergen and Kirkenes, the ships call at 34 ports, allowing guests to experience local sights, culture and a rapidly growing number of active excursions.
    [Show full text]
  • 9A6ce1ed32f80f94.Pdf
    Hurtigruten Group The leading global expedition cruise operator experiences around the world to travelers who wish to explore and travel in a sustainable way. Hurtigruten Group will continue to be a frontrunner in adventure tourism and expedition cruising, a niche with substantial global growth potential. Hurtigruten Group is to reinforce its global position, differentiated from the rest of the cruise industry by authentic, sustainable and active experiences on both land and sea. Hurtigruten Group has three main business segments, Hurtigruten Norway branded as Hurtigruten in Scandinavia and Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express in other markets, Hurtigruten Expeditions branded as Hurtigruten Expeditions in all markets Hurtigruten Destinations with the Hurtigruten Svalbard brand. Over the last years, the brands, Hurtigruten Expeditions, Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express, and Hurtigruten Svalbard been able to fortify its position as the leading expedition cruise company focusing on sustainable expedition cruising for the global traveler. With a fleet of 16 custom- -powered expedition cruise ships delivered in 2019, Hurtigruten Group to generate profitable sustainable growth in all 3 business segments. This will be achieved through increasing capacity through construction of new vessels, operational initiatives to realize its substantial potential, expand and renew its customer base, and strengthen the product range. Hurtigruten Group believes its product offerings in Hurtigruten Expeditions, Hurtigruten Norway and Hurtigruten Destinations differs significantly from the offering of other Expedition cruise and adventure travel operators. The customer offering has been purposefully designed to reach a wide range of customer segments. Hurtigruten Group offers its guests the opportunity to get closer to nature in beautiful and remote areas in order to experience local wildlife, culture and activities with a minimal footprint.
    [Show full text]
  • Ms Spitsbergen Voyage Handbook 2019–2020
    voyage handbook MS SPITSBERGEN VOYAGE HANDBOOK 2019–2020 1 Dear Adventurer 2 Norway 4 Dear adventurer, Iceland 6 Congratulations on book- This handbook includes in- Svalbard 8 ing an extraordinary cruise formation on your chosen aboard MS Spitsbergen. destination, as well as other destinations this ship visits Faroe Islands 12 Norwegian explorer Roald during the 2019-2020 sailing Amundsen’s success as an ex- season. We hope you will find Orkney Islands 14 plorer is often explained by his this information inspiring. thorough preparations before Shetland Islands 16 departure. He once said “vic- We promise you an amazing Contents tory awaits him who has every- adventure! thing in order.” Being true to Franz Josef Land 18 Amund sen’s heritage of good Welcome aboard for the ad- planning, we encourage you to venture of a lifetime! Important Information 20 read this handbook. Frequently Asked Questions 21 It will provide you with good Your Hurtigruten Team advice, historical context, practical information, and in- Life on Board MS Spitsbergen 22 spiring information that will Practical Information make your voyage even more 28 enjoyable. Before and After Your Voyage Pack Like an Explorer 30 Our Team on Board 32 Landing by Small Boats 34 Important Phone Numbers 35 Maritime Expressions 35 MS Spitsbergen Deck Plan 36 2 COVER FRONT PHOTO: © ANDREA KLAUSSNER / HURTIGRUTEN 3 COVER BACK PHOTO: © DOMINIC BARRINGTON / HURTIGRUTEN © KARSTEN BIDSTRUP / HURTIGRUTEN / KARSTEN © BIDSTRUP came to prominence during the NATURE AND WILDLIFE Norway is a Viking era (800–1050 B.C.), Deep fjords, islets, and the high with strong trade relations and mountains of the Scandes, unique country colonies in Greenland, Ire- which belong to the Caledonien land, England, Scotland, and mountain range, characterize that continous- Normandy.
    [Show full text]
  • Hurtigruten AS Interim Financial Statements First Quarter 2021
    Hurtigruten AS Interim Financial Statements First Quarter 2021 Published 27 May 2021 1 Interim financial report | Q1 2021 report 2020 Key figures1) Q1 Q1 % Full year (EUR 1 000) 2021 2020 Change 2020 Operational revenues 1,458 74,826 -98.1 % 90,497 Other revenues 1,920 4 51649.5 % 5,851 Total revenues 3,378 74,829 -95.5 % 96,347 EBITDA (9,373) 20,178 -146.5 % (7,866) Other gains/(losses) – net (878) 13,730 -106.4 % 6,018 EBITDA excl Other gains (losses) (8,495) 6,448 -231.8 % (13,885) 1) The figures presented in this report are unaudited About Hurtigruten AS Hurtigruten AS has become a sales and tour operator after the transfer of cruise business to the wholly owned subsidiary Hurtigruten Cruise in January 2019. Hurtigruten AS specializes in tour-packages using the subsidiaries within Hurtigruten Group to create genuine expedition travels for its travelers. Hurtigruten AS delivers a unique travel experiences together with Hurtigruten Cruises fleet of 16 custom-built expedition cruise vessels and land-based activities with Hurtigruten Svalbard, creating Hurtigruten brand as a world class expedition travel company. The company Hurtigruten AS offers travel and tour-packages with unique expedition experiences in areas of Alaska, South America, Arctic, Antarctica, along the Norwegian coast and to other unique destinations to travelers from all over the world. 2 Interim financial report | Q1 2021 report 2020 Interim financial statements Statement of profit and loss Unaudited Q1 Q1 Full year (EUR 1 000) Note 2021 2020 2020 Operating revenues
    [Show full text]
  • New CCO and CFO for Hurtigruten
    New CCO and CFO for Hurtigruten We are pleased to announce that Asta Lassesen has accepted the role as Chief Commercial Officer in Hurtigruten, effective January 6th. Lassesen has been with Hurtigruten since 2007 and held various roles within the company, most recently Chief Financial Officer since 2012. She has been a vital contributor in the turnaround of Hurtigruten, and her knowledge of the business, analytical approach and focus on results will allow her to drive the Commercial organization as the company continues to establish its place as a leader in the Explorer Travel sector. CEO Daniel Skjeldam is very pleased that Lassesen now assumes the position of CCO. He notes, “Asta has done an amazing job as CFO, and has been a key player in the transformation of the company over the past years. Her strong commercial and financial understanding combined with her analytical approach, makes me confident she is the right person to lead our Commercial Asta Lassesen department” We are also happy to welcome Torleif Ernstsen who will be joining Hurtigruten as Chief Financial Officer, effective February 1st. Torleif joins from Carnegie ASA, where he was Project and Client Relationship Manager. Joining Carnegie in 2007 from Deloitte, Torleif’s experience includes M&A, IPO and ECM advisory as well as having been part of the team advising on the restructuring of Hurtigruten from 2007 to 2009. He holds a MSc in Accounting and Auditing and an MBE in Business and Economics from BI Norwegian Business School, and is a State Authorized Public Accountant (CPA Equivalent). “Torleif has worked with Hurtigruten since 2007, and is very familiar with our business and financial situation.
    [Show full text]
  • Preview Hurtigruten Explorer Brochure 2020 2021
    EXPEDITION CRUISES INAUGURAL SEASON 2020-2021 Antarctica | Svalbard | Greenland & Iceland | Norway & Russia | Northwest Passage | North, Central & South America | Europe new Alaska & Canada “Ever since Hurtigruten started sailing polar waters back in 1893, we have been on a constant look out for new worlds to explore.” Content 2020-21 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– We take you far beyond the ordinary 6-7 © HURTIGRUTEN © ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Our Expedition Fleet 8-9 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Hurtigruten is an exploration company in the truest sense The future is green 10-11 of the word; our mission is to bring adventurers to remote ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Antarctica 12-15 natural beauty around the world. Our experience in the ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– field is unparalleled, and we draw on our unique 125-year Greenland & Iceland 16-19 old heritage to guide our fleet of advanced expedition ships ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– to unforgettable wilderness experiences in some of the Russia 19 most spectacular places on Earth. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Svalbard 20-23 We are proud to provide explorers the chance to travel with ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– meaning, as our journeys are created for adventurers who Norway 24-25 value learning and personal growth. As the world leader ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– in exploration travel, we have a responsibility to explore Northwest Passage 26-27 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
    [Show full text]
  • New Antarctica Voyages
    1 NEW DISCOVERYS STYLE VOYAGE LAUNCHING OCTOBER, 2016 NEW ANTARCTICA VOYAGES NOW DISCOVERY AND ADVENTURE FOR ALL Hands-on activities Small group landings Affordable! INSIDE Meet Your Polar Heroes SOLO TRAVELER FRIENDLY 2 Discovery and learning for all Dear Explorer, Imagine an expedition through a pristine environment you Oosten van © Marsel can only reach by ship, a life-changing voyage to a continent blanketed in ice and snow. No matter where you gaze you see wildlife in an untamed world of massive icebergs, endless snowfields, and deep blue sea. Now, open your eyes and stop imagining - because what, for many, has only ever been a dream, is now a reality. Starting in the fall of 2016, Hurtigruten will offer all new Discovery Style Voyages to Antarctica, making us the largest and most diverse provider of active voyages to and throughout the polar region. While our renowned MS Fram has sailed these remote waters for many years, now MS Midnatsol will be joining her with new itineraries via the Chilean fjords and Cape Horn. Our new Discovery Style Voyages are designed especially to bring polar exploration to all ages and learning levels. Most importantly, you will explore ashore and in small craft through iceberg-rich waters and feel like a real polar explorer. Back on board, you’ll have fun opportunities to learn and share discoveries with family and fellow explorers in casual comfort. As the most experienced operator in polar waters, our Antarctica voyages far exceed those of other cruise lines - most using either smaller expedition ships or large ocean liners.
    [Show full text]
  • Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) and Hurtigruten Partnership to Bring Light to the Gaps in Plastic Marine Litter Knowledge
    EGU2020-22246 https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-22246 EGU General Assembly 2020 © Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) and Hurtigruten partnership to bring light to the gaps in plastic marine litter knowledge. Verena Meraldi1, Tudor Morgan2, and Bert Van Bavel3 1Hurtigruten AS, Expedition, Villard sur Chamby, Switzerland ([email protected]) 2Hurtigruten AS, Expedition, Tromso, Norway ([email protected]) 3Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Oslo, Norway ([email protected]) Plastic pollution has become one of today’s biggest environmental problems. Yearly worldwide production of plastic was 360 million tonnes in 2018, of which approximately 10 million reached the oceans. But there is very little data from remote regions of the world. Several studies have pointed to the tourism and fishing industries as the main sources of plastic marine litter. Hurtigruten as an operator of expedition cruise vessels, believes that it is our responsibility to invest in the understanding and conservation of the areas we visit, this is reflected on our sustainability efforts: Single Use Plastics were banned from all our ships and Hotels in 2018, we have built the first electric/fuel hybrid ships and are transforming other ships in the fleet to the same technology or to run on Liquid biogas. Scientific data collection in the polar regions is challenging due to remoteness, the harsh environment and high operational costs. For the last couple of years, we have supported the scientific community by transporting researchers and their equipment to and from their study areas in polar regions, we have established collaborations with numerous scientific institutions, such as University Centre in Svalbard, Norwegian Polar Institute, Institute for Marine Research, and Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) and we have been actively participating in clean-up projects, and are contributing to the SALT and MALINOR projects.
    [Show full text]
  • Hurtigruten Group AS Consolidated Interim Financial Statements First Quarter 2021
    Q1 report 2021 Hurtigruten Group AS Consolidated Interim Financial Statements First Quarter 2021 Published 27 May 2021 0 First Quarter 2021 Strong booking momentum for 2022 Hurtigruten Group has experienced a strong booking momentum for sailings in 2022 and 2023. 2022 bookings are, as of 25th of May, 45% higher compared to the same time two years ago for 2020 booking levels. • The strong booking development is driven by both yield and volume in both Hurtigruten Expeditions and Hurtigruten Norway • 2023 has also had a very strong start to the pre-sale period which shows a strong underlying demand for sailings with Hurtigruten Norway and Hurtigruten Expeditions 2H 2021 booking momentum has started to pick up over the last 30 days, but guests are still waiting to see when travel restrictions will be lifted. 2H 2021 bookings are currently 62% of what it would be in a normal year. With the current roll out of the vaccines, the introduction of vaccination passports in the EU and subsequent lifting of travel restrictions, Hurtigruten Norway expects to be back in close to normal operations in July 2021 and Hurtigruten Expeditions expects a gradual ramp up of operations in July 2021 with the expectations to be back in normal operations in Q4 2021. From 1st of January 2021 Hurtigruten Norway has operated 5 ships along the Norwegian Coast, while Hurtigruten Expeditions has all 7 ships in warm lay-up. The 5-ship operation in Hurtigruten Norway is based on an agreement with the Norwegian Ministry of Transportation where they have increased the monthly payment from approx.
    [Show full text]