Ship reference
Richard With
Ship specifications and sources.
Quick facts
- Cruise line
- Hurtigruten
- Entered service
- 1993
- Status
- In service
About us Richard With
Richard With carries the name of the captain associated with the start of Hurtigruten's coastal service in 1893. The present vessel is a different generation: it was built by Volkswerft in Germany in 1993, with the scientific NERC vocabulary also recording commissioning that year. Its permanent IMO number is 9040429. Current insurer Gard identifies 11,221 gross tonnage and the Norwegian flag.
The ship became an early example of the operator's battery-hybrid conversions. Hurtigruten dates this upgrade to 2022, and equipment supplier Kongsberg records its relaunch in August that year. New engines and batteries belong to this technical history; the later refurbishment year of 2023 in the accommodation specifications should not erase the earlier hybrid conversion. Nor does installing batteries imply a wholly battery-powered coastal round trip.
There is also a scientific role beyond passenger transport. ICOS Norway reports that Richard With joined its observation network in 2023. Instruments measure seawater carbon dioxide, temperature, salinity and oxygen along the coastal route. These measurements are distinct from calculating the ship's own exhaust emissions. They make the vessel a useful example of research carried out from a working passenger ship rather than a purpose-built research vessel.
For guests, the experience remains centred on Norway's coast and repeated port calls. Panoramic lounges provide sheltered viewing, with a sauna, fitness room and outdoor hot tub offering alternatives between stops. Torget is the main dining room, Kysten provides an à la carte setting, Brygga is a bistro and Multe adds bakery and café choices. Check the actual fare for included meals and drinks instead of treating the list of venues as an inclusion promise.
Current dimensions are 121.8 metres length and 19.2 metres beam, with 199 cabins. The FAQ explicitly identifies a maximum of 590 guests, matching the latest annual report's capacity; the separate 492-bed figure is not described as double occupancy. English and Norwegian are used for announcements and lectures, while the onboard account is denominated in Norwegian kroner. Room category and itinerary are more useful booking distinctions than assuming every coastal ship offers identical accommodation.
Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Year built | 1993 |
| Entered service | 1993 |
| Gross tonnage (GT) | 11,221 |
| Guests at double occupancy | — |
| Maximum guests | 590 |
| Crew | — |
| Cabins | 199 |
| Decks (total) | — |
| Length (m) | 121.8 |
| Beam (m) | 19.2 |
| Last verified refurbishment year | 2023 |
| Maximum speed (knots) | — |
| IMO | 9040429 |
| 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.
- NERC — Richard With scientific vessel identity — Accessed
Commissioned 1993 explicit.
- ICOS Norway — Richard With ocean observations — Accessed
Joined ICOS 2023; seawater pCO2, temperature, salinity, oxygen, not exhaust measurements.