Ship reference
Kong Harald
Ship specifications and sources.
Quick facts
- Cruise line
- Hurtigruten
- Status
- In service
About us Kong Harald
Kong Harald connects its 1993 origins at Volkswerft in Germany with a substantially changed technical installation. Hurtigruten confirms that its battery-hybrid conversion was completed in 2023. Equipment supplier Kongsberg independently records a return to service in May that year. This is a conversion of an existing vessel, so the date should not be confused with delivery of a new ship.
The work combined batteries and new engines, alongside wastewater treatment improvements and refreshed cabins on decks two and three. Earlier interior refurbishment took place in 2016. Together these changes explain why construction year alone gives a limited impression of the accommodation and machinery passengers encounter today. Hybrid equipment also does not mean the vessel completes its entire coastal service using batteries alone.
As an Original Coastal Express ship, Kong Harald participates in a service that carries local travellers, holiday guests and cargo. The annual report describes a year-round network of 34 ports between Bergen and Kirkenes. A complete journey and a short port-to-port booking can therefore share the same public rooms while producing very different travel experiences. Check the actual timetable before planning independent time ashore.
The forward lounge and upper observation spaces put the coastline at the centre of onboard life. A sauna, fitness room and two outdoor hot tubs offer other ways to spend time between calls. Torget, Kysten and Brygga provide different dining settings, complemented by Multe's bakery offer. Restaurant availability should be compared with the booked fare rather than interpreted as universal inclusion. Announcements and lectures use English and Norwegian; the operator also lists German and French written material.
The current insurer records IMO 9039119 and 11,237 gross tonnage under the Norwegian flag. Specifications give 121.8 metres length, 19.2 metres beam and 218 cabins. Passenger totals remain unresolved: the current FAQ states a maximum of 577 guests, while the latest annual report gives capacity of 490. Neither number is silently selected as a verified limit. That uncertainty is separate from the confirmed identity, refurbishment and facilities.
Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Year built | 1993 |
| Entered service | — |
| Gross tonnage (GT) | 11,237 |
| Guests at double occupancy | — |
| Maximum guests | — |
| Crew | — |
| Cabins | 218 |
| Decks (total) | — |
| Length (m) | 121.8 |
| Beam (m) | 19.2 |
| Last verified refurbishment year | 2023 |
| Maximum speed (knots) | — |
| IMO | 9039119 |
| Shipyard | Volkswerft, Germany |
| Flag | Norway |
| Propulsion / fuel description | Battery-hybrid propulsion with replacement combustion engines |
A dash means no independently verified value is available. Guest counts at double occupancy and maximum capacity are different measures. GT measures enclosed volume, not weight.
Last checked:
Sources
- Hurtigruten — currentindividualfleetmembership — Accessed
- Hurtigruten — individual specifications and current FAQ — Accessed
Service speed is not a verified maximum. Current FAQ maximum 577 Kong Harald / 505 Nordlys conflicts with annual report 490; Richard With 590 agrees. Older operator GT not used over matching authority/insurer data.
- Hurtigruten — latest 2025 annual report — Accessed
Original fleet table: Kong Harald 490, Nordlys 490, Richard With 590 passengers; report does not reconcile FAQ differences.
- Norwegian Coastal Administration — matching vessel particulars — Accessed
Only vessel particulars used; no personal certificate-holder data retained.
- Gard — current 2026/27 vessel identity — Accessed
Explicit Norway flag, not Bermuda underwriting company. Current GT matches Norwegian authority.
- Kongsberg — actual Richard With/Kong Harald relaunches — Accessed
Richard With August 2022; Kong Harald May 2023. Nordlys future plan in this 2024 source not used as completion proof.