SunStone: Steel cut for final Infinity-class ship

A shipyard in China has begun the production of the seventh and final Infinity-class expedition cruise ship ordered by Florida-based expedition cruise ship owner SunStone Ships, part of SunStone Maritime Group.

The steel-cutting ceremony for the ship took place at the Haimen shipyard of China Merchants Heavy Industries (CMHI) last week.

“With the steel cutting of the seventh and final ship in the Infinity series, we mark the completion of a remarkable journey,” Niels-Erik Lund, CEO at SunStone Maritime Group, commented.

“These vessels exemplify our commitment to providing exceptional expedition cruises with a focus on comfort, safety, and sustainability.”

Ordered earlier this year, the yet-to-be-named PC6 expedition cruise ship will embark on a long-term charter upon its delivery, which is planned for August 2025.

Being technically identical to the rest of the Infinity vessels, the seventh vessel is set to join its sisters in the redefinition of the standards of expedition cruising with its advanced design. All the vessels in the Infinity class are designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions AS and they were the first to introduce the patented X-BOW design in the cruise industry.

The new ship will be 104 meters long, 18 meters wide, and will have a draft of 5.1 meters. It will be able to accommodate 199 passengers, and a crew of 101.

The seventh Infinity-class newbuild is ICE CLASS 1A certified for polar cruising and SOLAS certified including a Safe Return to Port passport.

Back in April this year, the cruise company took delivery of Ocean Albatros, the sixth Infinity-class expedition cruise ship.