MS Midnatsol
MS Midnatsol is a Norwegian Hurtigruten passenger vessel built in 2001 and named after the midnight sun.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
MS Midnatsol is a Norwegian passenger ship operated within the Hurtigruten fleet. Built in 2001 by Bruces Verkstad in Sweden and Fosen Mekaniske Verksteder in Rissa Municipality, Norway, it became the fourth Hurtigruten vessel to carry the Midnatsol name. The name refers to the midnight sun, a natural phenomenon associated with northern Norway and a central part of the coastal travel experience historically marketed by Hurtigruten. The vessel was designed for service on the Norwegian coast, combining passenger accommodation with the operational characteristics required for regular coastal navigation. It has a sister ship, MS Trollfjord. Although primarily associated with Hurtigruten’s Norwegian coastal operations, the ship has also operated in wider North Sea service. Its identity is therefore tied less to a consumer product line than to the vessel itself as a recognizable component of Hurtigruten’s fleet and coastal-transport brand. Midnatsol experienced a serious propulsion incident shortly after entering service. In the early morning of 14 December 2003, while sailing south between Ålesund and Måløy, the ship lost its main power supply and all engine power. It drifted toward a reef, and an attempt to arrest the movement with anchors initially failed. A towing attempt was also unsuccessful, leading the crew to order all 102 passengers into the lifeboats while a Mayday call was transmitted. One anchor eventually held when the ship was approximately 150 metres from shore, after which the engines were restarted and the vessel proceeded to Florø. The reported cause was an overgrown inlet in the engine-cooling system. The ship also became the setting for television coverage. In 2004, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation filmed aboard Midnatsol over the course of a year for the documentary series Hurtigruten 365. The resulting twenty episodes brought the vessel and the coastal voyage experience to a domestic television audience. On 6 June 2015, Midnatsol suffered a fire in a service room while sailing near Vardø in northern Norway. The crew extinguished the fire in less than an hour, and reports stated that there were no injuries or material damage. The incident demonstrated the operational importance of onboard emergency response but did not end the ship’s service. Between 2021 and 2024, the vessel operated under the name MS Maud. In December 2023, while sailing from Norway toward Tilbury, the ship encountered a severe North Sea storm. A rogue wave broke the bridge windows and flooded the bridge, causing a temporary loss of power, navigation systems and radar. The crew maintained control through manual steering from the engine room, while a towage vessel assisted with the ship’s stability. The 266 passengers and crew were reported safe, and Danish authorities said the situation was stable. The vessel subsequently resumed the Midnatsol name in 2024. Its history illustrates both the durability of Hurtigruten’s coastal fleet and the navigational, mechanical and weather risks associated with North Atlantic and Norwegian waters.
History
MS Midnatsol is a Hurtigruten passenger vessel built in 2001. Construction was carried out by Bruces Verkstad in Sweden and Fosen Mekaniske Verksteder in Rissa Municipality, Norway. It was the fourth ship in Hurtigruten service to use the Midnatsol name, continuing a naming tradition linked to the midnight sun and northern Norwegian coastal travel. The ship has a sister vessel, MS Trollfjord. The vessel’s early operational history included a serious loss-of-power event. At approximately 04:00 on 14 December 2003, Midnatsol was sailing south between Ålesund and Måløy when its main power supply failed. Without engine power, the ship drifted toward a reef. The crew deployed anchors, but the first effort did not stop the drift, and another vessel was unable to establish a towing connection. With the ship approaching the shore, all 102 passengers were ordered into the lifeboats and a Mayday message was sent. An anchor finally caught when the ship was about 150 metres from land. The crew then restarted the main engines, allowing Midnatsol to continue to Florø. The reported technical cause was an overgrown inlet in the engine-cooling system. In 2004, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation used Midnatsol as a filming location for Hurtigruten 365. The production followed life aboard the coastal service for a year and resulted in twenty television episodes. The program contributed to the vessel’s visibility as a working coastal ship as well as a travel setting. On 6 June 2015, a service-room fire occurred while Midnatsol was near Vardø. The crew responded immediately and extinguished the fire in less than an hour. No injuries or damage were reported in the available account. The vessel was renamed MS Maud in 2021. Under that name it encountered a major storm in the North Sea in December 2023 while traveling from Norway toward Tilbury. A rogue wave broke the bridge windows and flooded the bridge. The resulting disruption temporarily removed power from navigation equipment and radar, requiring the crew to steer manually from the engine room. A towage vessel helped maintain the ship’s stability. The 266 passengers were reported safe, and Danish authorities assessed that the situation was stable and that the ship was not in immediate danger. The ship returned to the name MS Midnatsol in 2024. Its documented history is characterized by long-term service within Hurtigruten’s passenger fleet, occasional exposure to serious maritime incidents, and a close connection with Norwegian coastal travel and public broadcasting.
- 2024
Midnatsol name restored
[1]The vessel resumed the name MS Midnatsol after its period as MS Maud.
- 2023
North Sea storm damage
[1]A rogue wave damaged the bridge and temporarily disabled navigation systems during a severe storm.
- 2021
Renamed MS Maud
[1]The vessel began operating under the name MS Maud.
- 2015
Service-room fire
[1]A fire near Vardø was extinguished by the crew in less than an hour without reported injuries or damage.
- 2004
Hurtigruten 365 filming
[1]NRK filmed a year of operations aboard the vessel for the television series Hurtigruten 365.
- 2003
Major loss-of-power incident
[1]The ship lost propulsion near a reef between Ålesund and Måløy. After an emergency response and a successful anchor hold, the engines were restarted and the vessel reached Florø.
- 2001
Vessel completed
[1]MS Midnatsol was built by Bruces Verkstad in Sweden and Fosen Mekaniske Verksteder in Norway for Hurtigruten service.
Products and positioning
A Norwegian coastal passenger vessel associated with Hurtigruten’s heritage, coastal connectivity and scenic travel along waters affected by Arctic weather and seasonal light.
Passenger vessel · 2001
MS Midnatsol
MS Midnatsol is a Norwegian passenger ship operated within the Hurtigruten fleet. It was built in 2001 and is associated with coastal voyages and maritime travel in Norwegian and North Sea waters. The vessel has also operated under the name MS Maud, from 2021 to 2024, before returning to the Midnatsol name.
Brand decisions
2024
Vessel renamed MS MidnatsolOtherBackground
After a period operating as MS Maud, the ship resumed its earlier Hurtigruten name.
Action taken
The vessel returned to the name MS Midnatsol.
Aftermath
The ship continued to be identified with the Midnatsol name in the available reference material.
2021
Vessel renamed MS MaudOtherBackground
The Hurtigruten vessel changed its operating name from MS Midnatsol to MS Maud.
Action taken
The ship operated under the Maud name from 2021 through 2024.
Aftermath
The vessel later returned to the Midnatsol name in 2024.
Recent events
- 2024
Vessel returns to the Midnatsol name[1]
Product generation
After operating as MS Maud from 2021 to 2024, the vessel resumed the name MS Midnatsol.
- 2023
MS Maud damaged by rogue wave in the North Sea[1]
Other
A severe storm broke the bridge windows and flooded the bridge, temporarily disabling power, radar and navigation systems. The crew used manual steering, a towage vessel assisted, and passengers and crew were reported safe.
- 2015
Fire reported aboard Midnatsol near Vardø[1]
Other
A fire began in a service room while the vessel was off Vardø. The crew extinguished it in under an hour, with no reported injuries or damage.
- 2004
Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation films Hurtigruten 365 aboard Midnatsol[1]
Other
NRK filmed aboard the ship over a year for Hurtigruten 365, a twenty-episode television series about the coastal service.
- 2003
MS Midnatsol loses power near the Norwegian coast[1]
Other
The vessel lost all engine power while sailing between Ålesund and Måløy and drifted toward a reef. Passengers were prepared for evacuation before an anchor held and the engines were restarted.
Sources2 sources
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