It all started with the rich fishing grounds along the Norwegian coast. As this important seaway was lined with perilous reefs, small islands and narrow inlets it was essential that a safe trade route was established to link the southern and northern regions of Norway.
Maritime maps were unreliable at that time and there were only a few lighthouses north of Trondheim. When the Norwegian government decided to create a connection between north and south, Richard With and his friend Anders Holthe took on the challenge of thoroughly mapping the seas along the Norwegian coastline. In 1893, Captain Richard With's steamer, DS Vesteraalen, was bought into regular service along the coast of Norway, and Hurtigruten was established.
The service offered daily departures, first from Trondheim to Hammerfest and later from Bergen to Kirkenes in only 7 days. He called this important connection the 'hurtig ruten' (fast route). Today, Hurtigruten still takes freight and passengers. The captains use their extensive maritime expertise to ensure that guests and goods are safely carried from port to port. Today, as then, the Hurtigruten ships are a part of Norwegian coastal life. One of the fleet's 11 ships departs Bergen daily, sailing to Kirkenes and back in 12 days at an average speed of 15 knots.
Timeline of Hurtigruten - the world's most beautiful voyage
18932 July the first Hurtigruten steamship DS Vesteraalen departs Trondheim for Hammerfest, visiting 11 harbours. |
1952Seven new ships are added in 3 years. The entire rebuilt Hurtigruten fleet now features modern diesel engines. Hurtigruten wins a unique position in Norwegian communications carrying 500,000 passengers annually. |
2005Hurtigruten's traditional ships, the MS Nordstjernen and MS Lofoten, start sailing the so-called Nostalgic Routes in Norway in wintertime, alongside Hurtigruten's more modern ships. |
1898The route expands southward to include Bergen with three weekly departures. |
||
1908Kirkenes, near the Russian border, becomes the northern turning point of the coastal voyage. |
1982The first ships with a side hatch, for easy cargo handling, are added to the fleet. The new MS Vesterålen, MS Midnatsol and MS Narvik replace older vessels in the fleet. |
2006The MS Nordstjernen turns 50. The oldest OVDS and TSDS Hurtigruten shipping companies merge to form Hurtigruten ASA. From mid-March, the MS Finnmarken is the first Hurtigruten ship to travel with the new company trademark funnel paint: red with the white letter 'H'. |
1925The first ship to feature running water in all cabins is added to the Hurtigruten fleet. |
1993A new era begins with the launch of the modern MS Kong Harald. The modernisation of Hurtigruten's fleet will result in 9 out of the 11 ships being replaced by the end of 2003. This is the biggest 'makeover' in Hurtigruten's history
|
|
1936Daily departures from Bergen begin. More than 230,000 passengers a year sail between Bergen and Kirkenes on board Hurtigruten's fleet of 14 ships. |
2007In May, the new expedition ship MS Fram - at the time, the most modern vessel of its kind - starts service. Hurtigruten debuts a new route to Greenland. |
|
1937Hurtigruten equips all ships with sonar, an electronic logbook and radio-tracking transmitter. |
2001On May 30, the Norwegian government lists MS Lofoten as a national historical monument. |
2008Hurtigruten celebrates its 115th birthday. For more than a century, its passenger and cargo ships have connected northern and southern Norway. |
1939 - 1945Half the Hurtigruten fleet is lost, and a total of 700 people lose their lives on board during World War II.
|
2002Two new ships, MS Trollfjord and MS Finnmarken, are launched. |
|
1945The rebuilding of Hurtigruten is high priority, new ships are built and the route is back on track. |
2003The new MS Midnatsol is launched in Hamburg, Germany - making it the first Hurtigruten ship ever to be inaugurated outside of Norway. A hurtigruten ship, the MS Nordnorge, travels the southern waters around Argentina, Chile and the Antarctic for the first time in winter. |
2010MS Fram adds Spitsbergen to its unique Explorer portfolio, now sailing in polar waters in Greenland, Antarctica and Svalbard. |
