Rolls-Royce has been awarded the maritime Heyerdahl Award 2014. The award was presented by His Majesty King Harald at the Norwegian Shipowners' Associations Annual Conference in Oslo 31 March.

The award goes to the Environship Concept, an innovative ship design which integrates a highly efficient gas-based power and propulsion system with an innovative hull design to provide significant reductions in emissions.

The expert committee, chaired by Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) Peter Hincliffe, said in its reasoning that Rolls-Royce had taken a holistic approach to vessel design and has succeeded in combining a number of innovative solutions that increase energy efficiency and contribute to significant reductions in emissions. The committee emphasized that the measures are adaptable for a broad range of ship types and have the potential to reduce emissions from many segments of the worldwide fleet.

Helge Vatnehol, Managing Director of Rolls-Royce Marine AS in Norway, received the award on behalf of Rolls-Royce: "We strongly believe that to succeed in making emissions reductions, several types of environmental technologies have to be combined. This is the basic idea behind our Environship concept and it is therefore a great pleasure and very inspiring to receive this recognition."

Helge Vatnehol used the opportunity to send a special thank you to the Norwegian ship owners: "We are fortunate to be part of a maritime cluster with ship owners that are global frontrunners when it comes to investing in new and more environmentally friendly technology. Our customers push forward on innovation every day."

The Thor Heyerdahl International Maritime Environmental Award was launched in 1999 by Thor Heyerdahl (1914 - 2002) and the Norwegian Shipowners' Association. The prize recognizes candidates who have demonstrated exceptional technical innovation and environmental work in keeping with Thor Heyerdahl's desire to promote the conservation of the marine environment. Emphasis is placed on measures that combine environmental benefits with improved profitability. The Norwegian Shipownwers' Association (NSA) holds the secretariat for the award.

"With the Heyerdahl Award we want to acknowledge those who do more than required by rules and regulations. We also want to make visible the industry's ideas and solutions to what are by far the biggest challenges of our time - energy efficiency and the environment" said Chief Executive Officer of the NSA, Sturla Henriksen.