We toured the exquisite bridge on board one of Norway’s most environmentally friendly ships: MS Havila Polaris.
[Bergen, March 2025]
Havila Polaris is one of Havila Kystruten’s four cruise ships. They transport passengers and cargo between 34 ports on the Norwegian coastline, from Bergen to Kirkenes.
As one of Norway’s most advanced fleets of ships – sister ship Havila Capella won Nor-Shipping’s “Next Generation Ship Award” in 2022 – Havila Polaris is packed with innovative features and solutions.
– Up here, I have all the systems I need.
Its technological prowess is clear to see as soon as you step into its bridge. Instead of a conventional console, the bridge system here consists of sleek touch monitors, floor-mounted, through which the mariners can access all the relevant systems.
An impressive sight and, as we are about to learn, a delight to use.
- Up here, I have all the systems I need, says Eirik Storsveen Bjerke, 2nd Officer Navigation at Havila Kystruten. – Everything from radars to navigation systems, we have a planning station, we have a complete alarm console for fire detection and safety equipment on board. Also, all communication equipment is up here.
Navigating in 4K: Eirik Storsveen Bjerke, 2nd Officer Navigation at Havila Kystruten.
A state-of-the-art INS (Integrated Navigation System)
System integrator Norwegian Electric Systems (NES) has designed and built the bridge system on board MS Havila Polaris, and the rest of Havila Kystruten’s fleet.
in every bridge monitor.
Above: Andreas Rønning Stein, Sales Manager at Norwegian Electric Systems.
Having everything available through one interface isn’t only a matter of convenience, but a safety feature, too. Mr. Bjerke says it helps the mariner stay with the task at hand, instead of having to move around on the bridge to access the various systems.
- On any given monitor on the bridge wings, or at the centre of the bridge, I can access all the information I need. I can toggle between ECDIS, radar, systems, and other important information I need then and there, so I don’t have to move around on the bridge and lose focus on what actually is our most important task, which is the navigating, he explains.
The importance of high-quality marine monitors
– A crucial aspect is brilliance and clarity in a monitor.
Hatteland Technology has supplied the 4K touch monitors (Series X MVD 32” / 55”)
Mr. Bjerke and his colleagues rely on. Torhild Ø. Skrunes, Key Account Manager at Hatteland Technology, has been involved in the entire process. She is excited to have taken part in the project and pleased to see how well it turned out.
Pleased with the result: Ms. Torhild Ø. Skrunes, Key Account Manager at Hatteland Technology.
It is important to get the bridge equipment right, and the visualisation devices play a key role. Mr. Bjerke lists some of the qualities he appreciates in a marine monitor.
– A crucial aspect is brilliance and clarity in a monitor. In my experience, we have got that here – it works very well, he says and adds: – We are able to dim the monitors, which is critical for the night vision.Considering its importance for the usability of the bridge system, the system integrator is also strongly invested in the monitor selection, and what the supplier can offer on the whole.
- What matters for NES, when it comes to partners, is quality and professionalism. That we get a product we know meets the customer’s expectations, Rønning Stein explains.
Above: Mr. Bjerke is happy to show his suppliers how he interacts with the bridge system.
Ms. Skrunes knows how much reliability and performance matters to her customers, and of course to the end-user. A lot of that comes down to the product itself, but there are many aspects that come into play over the course of a product’s life cycle.
– What matters for NES, when it comes to partners,
is quality and professionalism.
Hatteland Technology offers strong Service & Support capabilities, maximising uptime for those that ultimately rely on the products. According to Ms. Skrunes, that dependability has won Hatteland Technology the trust of selective mariners and system integrators.
– We deliver to a standard we are very satisfied with. This is reflected in our customers, the fact that they choose Hatteland Technology due to the quality, our service, and what we can offer, she concludes.
Thank you to to Norwegian Electric Systems (NES) and Havila Kystruten for welcoming us on board – and congratulations on a remarkable fleet of vessels.
To learn more about Hatteland Technology and how we can assist your project, please visit our home on the web. You're also welcome to explore our range of marine monitors.
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