By
Laura Hyde |
SunStone Maritime Group has floated out its latest expedition cruise vessel, Douglas Mawson, at China Merchants Heavy Industry’s shipyard in Haimen, China.
Now external construction on Douglas Mawson is complete, the interiors will be outfitted. The ship is the seventh and final vessel in the Infinity-class series. It will join the fleet alongside fellow Infinity-class ships Greg Mortimer, Ocean Explorer, Ocean Victory, Sylvia Earle, Ocean Odyssey and Ocean Albatros, which was delivered in April 2023, following sea trials in 2025.
Douglas Mawson has been designed to Ice Class 1A and Polar Code 6 standards, and is equipped with Safe Return to Port systems, dynamic positioning systems and zero-speed stabilisers. It will accommodate 170 passengers and 102 crew members, and it will feature Ulstein’s X-Bow design to minimise its environmental impact during operations. According to Ulstein the bow design takes inspiration from the movement of sea mammals, gliding rather than pushing through sea water, leading to greater fuel efficiency and less noise.
Once complete, the ship will be chartered to Aurora Expeditions and is set to embark on its inaugural voyages in autumn 2025.