Lindblad Expeditions Holdings’ new polar expedition ship was floated out in Ulsteinvik, Norway on December 7, ship builder and designer Ulstein said.
The National Geographic Endurance is the first of two X-Bow polar vessels ordered by the US-based cruise company Lindblad Expeditions at Ulstein Verft.
Scheduled to join the Lindblad-National Geographic fleet in 2020, the newbuild will undergo final work prior to delivery, according to Ulstein.
This past weekend, we celebrated the float out of #NatGeoEndurance in Ulstein Verft, Norway! The 126-guest vessel will provide an extremely smooth ride in adverse conditions, which results in greater fuel efficiency and fewer emissions for reduced environmental impact. #travel pic.twitter.com/EzIlwb6LjA
— Lindblad Expeditions (@LindbladExp) December 10, 2019
In late April 2019, the National Geographic Endurance was towed to Ulsteinvik from Gydnia, Poland, where construction of the main hull steel work was completed.
The National Geographic Endurance, a Polar Class 5 vessel, can accommodate 126 passengers in 69 outside-facing cabins. One of its key features is Ulstein’s X-Bow, a bow that provides fuel efficiency and a very high ice class for access deep into polar regions. The ship’s expanded fuel and water tanks provide for extended operations in remote areas, while the zero-speed stabilizers will ensure stability, whether at zero speed or full steam ahead.
The National Geographic Endurance will be followed by the National Geographic Resolution, the second polar newbuild slated for delivery in 2021. In October, Lindblad Expeditions and Ulstein celebrated the keel laying for the National Geographic Resolution at the CRIST shipyard in Poland. The occasion also served as the official naming ceremony of the vessel.