​Funding projects globally: Hurtigruten Foundation helps saving Resident Killer Whales

Conserving Resident Killer Whales in the Pacific, securing recreational areas for local communities and encouraging local cultural activities – these are the latest projects to receive funding from Hurtigruten Foundation. Do you have a project? See how to apply. 

Funding sustainability projects both in Norway and globally, Hurtigruten Foundation contributes to making sure our guest of tomorrow can enjoy the same unique experiences as our guests of today.

- Through Hurtigruten Foundation we fund projects that make a difference, locally and globally. We work closely with guests, partners and organizations to make minimal operational impact and maximizing our contribution to the local communities we visit, says Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam.

Want to apply for Hurtigruten Foundation grants? More info at Hurtigruten.com/foundation

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: November 1 / May 1

ABANDONED: Grytviken in the South Georgia Islands is a timecapsule. Now the South Georgia Heritage Trust wants to open the buildings to the public. Foto: SGHT

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For years, the conscious guests of Hurtigruten – the world’s largest expedition cruise company – has contributed to the local communities and areas Hurtigruten operates.

This round of funding spans from saving Resident Killer Whales in the North Pacific to enriching visitor experiences in Grytviken, South Georgia. But Hurtigruten also supports local project such as Perleporten Kulturhus in Honningsvåg and the Parked Piano in Finnsnes. (Read more about the projects further down.)

Through the Hurtigruten Foundation, Hurtigruten grants funds to projects, communities and organizations focused around three main pillars:

• Conserving the world’s endangered species.
• The fight against marine and plastic pollution.
• Financially supporting global and local projects at the over 200 destinations in more than 30 countries Hurtigruten’s ships and guests explore.

Encourages Sustainable Projects

BEACH CLEANING: Many guests are involved in Hurtigruten Foundations activities such as beach cleaning. Foto: Hurtigruten

Hurtigruten Foundation is funded by direct donations and several onboard initiatives, including auctions, fund-raisers, and the “Green stay” program, where a donation is made for every night guests asks for the cabin not to be cleaned - thereby saving energy, power, detergent and water.

With minimal administration costs, all surplus funds from Hurtigruten Foundation are donated to selected organizations and causes – that all make a difference. Twice a year, the board of Hurtigruten Foundation will grant funds to initiatives in the areas Hurtigruten operate.

Hurtigruten Foundation also spans activities onboard and ashore, such as beach clean-ups, citizen science, water sampling, oil spill monitoring and other science related projects that aims to educate guests and create ambassadors for every destination on every voyage.

Hurtigruten Foundation has granted funds to the following projects:

Southern Resident Killer Whale Conservation in the Pacific Northwest of the US and Canada

Oceans Initiative is a team of scientists best known for conducting cutting-edge research to understand human threats to the Pacific Northwest critically endangered Southern resident killer whale (SRKW) population. These 75 individual killer whales, top predators and cultural icons of the Pacific Northwest, are in grave danger of extinction. The objective of the program is to build the evidence needed to guide the right mitigation needed to maximize recovery over the next decade.

The Association of Greenlandic Children// Sapiik

In Greenland, one of the mayor challenges is that way too few young people get an education. Therefore, the Association of Greenlandic Children has since 2008 offered Sapiik to young people at the age of 14-15 years old. In short, Sapiik is an offer where young people in their spare time, through different kinds of activities, get inspired and motivated to choose an education. They also work with the young people’s personal skills so they are able to resist and react - if and when - they are facing opposition and challenges in their lives. Sapiik is offered to 112 young people in four cities in Greenland.

Enriching the Visitor Experience at Grytviken

The station of Grytviken, South Georgia, is a veritable time capsule and, it is hoped that an original building from the whaling era, the Main Store, can be opened to the public. Visitors will be able to walk into this cavernous space and find tools used by the Grytviken community, as they were nearly a century ago. SGHT is working with GSGSSI to open the Main Store ground floor, so that visitors will have access to a greater understanding of what early 20th century working life was like here in one of the most remote places on earth.

Building a Molecular Learning Laboratory

With next generation molecular tools, marine researchers are more and more including molecular analysis in their data sets from analysis of microbes to large mammal tissues for species identification. These materials on board would facilitate the work of molecular marine researchers looking at DNA from multiple organisms and reduce the challenges associated with keeping samples frozen during transport on board Hurtigruten’s Expedition Ships.

Capo Nord- establishment of ensemble in the North Cape Region.Perleporten Kulturhus in Honningsvåg plan to create a professional ensemble of musicians to perform mainly for tourist and guests who visit the North Cape. Putting this into a group of professional musicians, it will provide an anticipated cultural opportunity in the local community.

Prestøya liftup

In Kirkenes there is a hike on the peninsula Prestøya. A good path with a lot of local history and wildlife. Hurtigruten’s guests use this almost every day. The path and the shelter need to be maintained, and will be improved with funds from Hurtigruten Foundation.

Hjelmsøytreff

Arranging a historical seminar on Hjelmsøy, to convey information about this islands’ dramatic history. This will to let younger generations see and experience where their ancestors lived, using storytelling, talk shows, exhibitions and excursions. People has lived on Hjelmsøy since the beginning of 1500. Due a crisis in the fishing industry the island was vacated in 1968, and is today the greatest uninhabited island in Norway. An official publication from this gathering will be made.

Equipment store in Skipsfjorden Outdoor Recreational Area

Skipsfjorden Outdoor Recreational Area is the only regulated outdoor recreational area in the municipality of Nordkapp. Turlaget take responsibility for infrastructure, nature based activities and trails. This area is used by
children, youths, families and elderly among the locals summer and winter. Turlaget needs to build a garage for this equipment. The grant from Hurtigruten foundation will contribute to make us able to realize this building project.

Time for music - Parkert piano Finnsnes

Through this project the Culture School in Lenvik arrange concerts with their “Parked Piano”. This is the fourth year that hosts from the Culture School have given short lunch-concerts for Hurtigruten’s guests when the ships are in Finnsnes. This year they want to expand from three to five concerts a week from the 24th June until 9th August. The concerts are free for all!

Sea Skrova

Sea Skrova is an ocean festival that will be arranged from 11th - 14th of July 2019. They wish to strengthen the relationship between humans and the ocean, by creating an arena for unforgettable physical memories in nature that raises public health, combined with knowledge of ocean and environment. The festival supports your work in conserving the polar bear population, in the way that we are informing and inspiring to a greener society through a debate. 

GREEN PIONEER: The World's first hybrid powered cruise ship, MS Roald Amundsen on her way through the Northwest Passage. PHOTO: John Emil Richardsen/Hurtigruten