By
Alex Smith |
Marine consultancy Knud E. Hansen has developed a new design for an ice-breaking expedition cruise vessel.
The 140-metre-long ship can accommodate up to 300 passengers in 150 cabins, the majority of which have private balconies with ocean views. The cabins also feature the company’s ‘Flex Cabin System’, which allows for cabin walls to be reconfigured to convert a single luxury suite into two separate cabins.
The vessel is designed to sail at a speed of 17 knots in open water and can operate in solid ice of up to 1.8 metres thick. It features diesel-electric propulsion with two azipod units, each of which has a power of 7.5 megawatts. Six generators onboard are fuelled by a combination of marine diesel oil and LNG, while a lithium-ion battery bank will power the vessel while it is docked.
The new design features a layout including public spaces such as a bar, a multi-purpose lounge and a panorama ice bar. It also features a tender garage for stowing Zodiacs and other expedition equipment, which can be launched through a shell door on the port side. There is also a helicopter deck to the aft of the vessel, where a helicopter can be lowered into the hanger on the deck below.