Chilean Shipyard Delivers Hybrid-Electric Polar Expedition Ship to Antarctica21

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 30, Chilean shipyard ASENAV officially delivered the hybrid-electric polar expedition ship "Magellan Discoverer" (hull number NB 193) to owner Antarctica21 in Valdivia, with delivery completed within the week. The vessel departed the shipyard on October 26 for Corral Bay to complete final sea trials, then returned to Valdivia for delivery. The maiden commercial voyage is scheduled to depart from Punta Arenas on December 15, 2026.

The "Magellan Discoverer" is the first hybrid-electric polar expedition ship built by an American shipyard. Its propulsion system consists of two MAN main engines (1,800 kW each, 4,800 ekW total), ABB azimuth thrusters and a Corvus battery energy storage system, with diesel power generation, electric propulsion and battery storage working together within a single architecture, enabling battery-powered sailing for limited periods. The vessel meets IMO Tier III emission standards and PC6 ice class requirements, with a draft of 4.3 meters and an open-water speed of 14 knots. Environmental indicators disclosed by ASENAV include: fuel consumption reduced by approximately 25% compared with conventional vessels of the same type, emissions reduced by up to 30%, and underwater noise also reduced.

The vessel's principal dimensions are an overall length of 94 meters, a beam of 17.2 meters and a draft of 4.3 meters, with a gross tonnage of 5,258 GT. Passenger capacity varies by operating mode: 88 in fly-cruise mode and 96 for full sea voyages, plus 67 expedition staff and crew. Endurance without resupply is up to 60 days.

Antarctica21 placed the order in 2023 (order record date September 1, 2023), steel was cut on February 8, 2024, and the vessel was launched in October 2025. At launch, delivery was planned for September 2026; actual delivery was postponed to late October, about one month behind the original schedule. ASENAV Commercial and Marketing Manager Germán Schacht Kossmann disclosed that the construction period was approximately 33 months, involving more than 500 employees, contractors and suppliers; ASENAV General Manager Fernando Rodríguez put the project investment at approximately US$90 million.

After delivery, the "Magellan Discoverer" will reposition to Punta Arenas for the 2026-2027 Antarctic season. The maiden voyage is a 10-day itinerary departing December 15, passing through southern Patagonia and the Beagle Channel and crossing the Drake Passage to Antarctica. The vessel will replace the "Ocean Nova," which Antarctica21 had previously chartered seasonally and whose cooperation with the company ended after the 2025-26 season. Antarctica21's operating model is primarily fly-cruise, with passengers flying by chartered aircraft from Punta Arenas to King George Island to board, shortening sea passage time.