HURTIGRUTEN has announced the engagement of Professor Orjan Olsvik, a highly experienced expert in medical microbiology, to lead the cruise line’s post-pandemic restart program.
Olsvik has broad field experience in investigating and combatting disease outbreaks on cruise ships, and has worked for more than a decade at the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
He has also been affiliated with the World Health Organization and involved with the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and for the Norwegian Armed Forces Medical Services in controlling disease outbreaks, such as the West African Ebola virus epidemic.
“We are very proud to reinforce our medical team through this collaboration with a world-leading authority in the field of infection control,” said Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam.
“The safety and well-being of guests and crews, and to all our partners and the public in the ports we visit, will always be our absolute main priority,” he said.
“By strengthening our medical expertise with the unique world-class expertise Professor Olsvik represents, we aim to develop a pioneering, world-class system for safe sailings,” Skjeldam said.
The initial phases of the work have seen Olsvik undertake an extensive analysis of Hurtigruten’s Safer Together program, with the company set to introduce coronavirus testing on all expedition cruises.
“A key part of the upcoming work will be to optimise these systems in accordance with the development of testing, vaccines and new knowledge and technology,” Olsvik said.