Viking Magazine - October 2021 - 19

IN
a country with
63,000 miles of
coastline, more
than 1,700 fjords
and a rocky, forestblanketed
terrain, it makes sense that
road travel would be slow-going.
Instead, Norwegians have relied heavily
on water to transport both people and
goods for hundreds of years.
But for all the benefits the shipping
and ferry industries
have delivered, they've
come at a cost. The
vessels not only create
noise pollution, but
the heavy fuels they
depend on also wreak
havoc on the climate by
emitting carbon dioxide,
nitrogen oxides and
sulfur into the air. These
pollutants cause smog
and respiratory issues,
and also damage delicate
ecosystems by increasing acidity, which
lowers pH levels.
Thankfully, Norway has taken steps
to trim its carbon footprint and is
building a new model for sustainable
water travel that other countries will
hopefully follow.
Testing the Waters
The
Future
of the
Fjords
When climate change drifted into
public consciousness in the 1990s,
Norwegians began seeking out
alternatives to combustion-engine cars
and trucks. Later in the decade, rebates
and tax exemptions were offered to
encourage buyers to choose plug-in
and hybrid models. In 2020, Norway
became the first country to have
its yearly sales of electric passenger
vehicles surpass those powered by
petroleum, diesel and hybrid fuels.
Most recently, the country declared that
by 2025 every new vehicle sold must be
zero-emission.
Did You
Know?
Emissions from
It makes sense, then, that
Norwegians would parlay this
momentum into developing climatefriendly
seafaring vessels, too. In fact,
the number of clean-tech businesses on
the coast are now so abundant, some
have dubbed it Norway's Silicon Valley.
Here, innovative propeller blades and
lightweight hulls are
being designed while
state-of-the-art electrical
technology is engineered
to build more sustainable
watercrafts.
a single, dieselfueled
sightseeing
ship equal that of
1 million cars.
In fact, Norway has
said it will ban diesel
ships from fjord areas
designated as UNESCO
World Heritage Sites
by 2026. By 2030, only
vessels that are lowor
zero-emission will
be granted entrance into even more
fjords and waterways, and pollutants
emanating from domestic ships and
fisheries will be reduced by half.
Ironically, what has allowed Norway
to bankroll its departure from fossil
fuels is the oil and gas revenue it's
amassed. Part of those profits have
funded the US$320 million (NOK
2.7 billion) budget of Enova, a
development agency of the Ministry
of Climate and Environment. The
government resource is one of several
the country can use to make clean-tech
upgrades.
Making Waves
Though Norway has been a pioneer
in battery-propelled vessels, it didn't
invent the technology. The first electric
ships actually debuted in the United
sonsofnorway.com VIKING OCTOBER 2021 19
PHOTO: SVERRE HJØRNEVIK
http://www.sonsofnorway.com
Viking Magazine - October 2021

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