Havila Voyages

The coastal route from Bergen to Kirkenes is a working sea road, used by Norwegians to move themselves and their freight between towns that are often easier to reach by water than by land. Havila Voyages, a family-owned company from the west coast of Norway, sails it with a fleet of new ships built for the purpose.

The vessels run on a combination of liquefied natural gas and large battery packs, which allows them to pass through certain fjords and into harbours under electric power, quietly and without exhaust. Interiors are Scandinavian in the plain, modern sense, with wide windows and plenty of pale wood. The kitchens work with ingredients sourced from producers along the route. The voyage calls at dozens of ports, some for a few hours and some for a few minutes, day and night.