Havila Kystruten AS: Norwegian Government initiates assessment of the next tender period

Havila Kystruten AS operates the four most environmentally friendly ships on the classic coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes. The contract with the Ministry of Transport is for the period until 2030, with an option for the Ministry of Transport to extend the agreement by one year.

On April 25, 2024, the Ministry of Transport announced that they have initiated a transport and environmental analysis of the coastal route service. The aim of the work is to assess the transportation needs that the coastal route service should meet, its environmental consequences, and the potential for further tightening of environmental requirements in connection with the next tender period. The investigation will be carried out by Oslo Economics on behalf of the Ministry of Transport.

Havila Kystruten views the initiation of work on the next tender period positively, and well ahead of the expiration of this period in 2030. The company is optimistic about both the need for the coastal transportation service and the tightening of environmental requirements to operate on the route.

Havila Kystruten has a high number of local travellers (51%) and an increasing interest in Norway as a tourist destination contributes to high overall occupancy on board the ships. Coastal tourism also creates significant positive ripple effects along the coast, with many local suppliers providing activities on land in the 34 ports visited by the ships on their round trip.

Furthermore, Havila Kystruten is well positioned to meet stricter environmental requirements in a new tender round. The company has already reduced CO2 emissions by 35% through the use of plug-in hybrid technology, which combines propulsion machinery powered by natural gas with support from a large battery pack. By incorporating biogas, the company can further reduce emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional Marine Diesel Oil (MDO).

Contacts:

Chief Executive Officer Bent Martini,

Chief Financial Officer Aleksander Røynesdal,