Hurtigruten Expeditions has appointed exploration and environmental experts, Sunniva Sørby of Canada and Hilde Fålun Strøm of Norway, as godmothers of its newest battery-hybrid powered ship, MS Fridtjof Nansen.
The two explorers, who have dedicated their lives to inspire action and engage a global dialogue on climate change, made history as the first women team to overwinter in remote Arctic Svalbard.
Svalbard is also where Hurtigruten Expeditions founded expedition cruising in 1896 and will conduct its naming ceremony for the battery-hybrid powered MS Fridtjof Nansen on September 14. The cruise ship is named after Nobel Peace Prize winner Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930).
In 2019-2020, Strøm and Sørby spent 19 months in Svalbard at the remote trapper’s cabin of Bamsebu, located at 78°N; 140 km from the nearest settlement. With no running water and relying solely on wind and the sun for power—and polar bears as neighbors—their “Hearts in the Ice” project sought a deeper understanding of climate change and how humans all can play a participatory role. They were able to connect with 100,000 youth globally through satellite video calls related to climate change.
“Our aim has been to bridge science and citizen science, and to connect these spheres with NGOs, governments, students and the corporate world. People need information and inspiration. We spent time in the polar winter nights to shed light on some critically important questions such as: How do we, as a world community, best gather the strength of experts, citizen scientists, industries and other stakeholders, to solve the challenges we face together. It is important to both reach adult people who can make a difference today and to educate and inspire the next generation. By partnering with Hurtigruten Expeditions, we support their efforts in utilizing sustainable tourism as a tool for change,” said Strøm and Sørby in a press note.
Hurtigruten is entering into a long-term partnership with Sørby and Strøm’s organization Hearts in the Ice. The naming ceremony of MS Fridtjof Nansen will be held in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, on September 14 and will be streamed live across Hurtigruten’s digital channels.
For more details, visit https://global.hurtigruten.com.
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