Croatian shipbuilder Brodosplit has launched the technologically-advanced polar vessel, Ultramarine, being built for Quark Expeditions.
“ That very moment when ‘ship first meets water’ is a major milestone for any vessel. The sound of Ultramarine’s hull entering the water from slipway No. 2 into Supaval Bay signified we’re one step closer to exploring the polar regions on this game-changing ship,” Andrew White , President, Quark Expeditions, said.
“Ultramarine will be an unrivalled operational base for exploring the polar regions in ways never thought possible.”
Ordered in June 2018, the 128-meter-long Ultramarine has the capacity to accommodate up to 200 passengers. The value of the ship is around € 106 million.
With a Polar Code PC 6 classification and an ice class 1A, the 13,500 GT Marshall Islands-flagged ship will have a cruising speed of 16 knots. It was designed by Norway’s LMG Marin AS.
The 199-passenger Ultramarine features two twin-engine helicopters, 20 quick-launching Zodiacs, and a robust portfolio of off-ship adventure options in the entire industry, including heli-skiing, alpine kayaking and heli-hiking.
The vessel, scheduled for launching expeditions in 2021, will feature optimized fuel consumption, water, provisioning, and waste-handling systems. It will also feature a dynamic positioning system, eliminating potential damage to sensitive seabed areas from anchor dropping.
“ The launch of any ship is complex and once underway, uncontrolled until the vessel is attached to tugs standing by,” says Malcolm Ellis , Senior Vice-President, Operations for Quark Expeditions.
“The total time involved from trigger release until the vessel is stopped in the water is little more than a minute or two. Yet, the potential for damage in that time period is greater than at any time during the ship’s many years of service.”