Hurtigruten Expeditions named two polar explorers and environmentalists as godmothers of its battery-hybrid powered ship, the MS Fridtjof Nansen.
Canadian Sunniva Sorby and Norwegian Hilde Falun Strom will co-name the vessel on Sept. 14 in Svalbard, Norway, the place where Hurtigruten first launched expedition cruising in 1896 and where the explorers made history in 2019 as the first women to overwinter in remote Arctic Svalbard without men.
In 2018, Sorby and Strom co-founded Hearts in the Ice, which promotes global dialogue about changes in the polar regions and how they impact the rest of the world, and what can be done to protect the planet. Hearts in the Ice engages classrooms around the world in the climate change conversation with live satellite video chats from Svalbard.
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In a statement, the explorers called it an honor to serve as godmothers “to one of the world’s most advanced and environmentally friendly expedition cruise ships. Over decades of polar exploration, we have witnessed the significant changes and challenges our planet faces. Sponsoring MS Fridtjof Nansen gives us a strengthened platform from where we can increase global awareness and dialogue around climate change — and inspire active engagement and create more ambassadors for our natural world.”
Hurtigruten’s newest battery-hybrid powered expedition cruise ship is named after what Hurtigruten says is “one of the great polar heroes and humanitarians of all times,” Nobel Peace Prize winner Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930).
Hurtigruten Group CEO Daniel Skjeldam said that Sorby and Strom, like Nansen, “are true pioneers. Their dedication and enthusiasm for our planet is not only inspiring and an extremely valuable contribution for change. They are true role models and amazing ambassadors for our shared values.”
Hurtigruten recently introduced the line’s third battery-hybrid powered ship, the Otto Sverdrup, formerly Hurtigruten’s Finnmarken, which was renovated and refurbished this year.
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