The former polar expedition cruise ship Ocean Endeavour has been sold by SunStone Marine Group to Critical Metals Corp. for €7.5 million and will be converted into workforce accommodation for the Tanbreez rare earths project in southern Greenland.
Former expedition cruise ship Ocean Endeavour is leaving the passenger cruising market after being acquired by U.S.-listed mining and development company Critical Metals Corp.
The company has purchased the 12,900-gross-ton vessel from SunStone Marine Group for €7.5 million, about US$8.5 million, and plans to use it as floating accommodation for up to 300 workers supporting the Tanbreez critical minerals project near Qaqortoq, Greenland.
The sale ends Ocean Endeavour’s career as a polar expedition ship. Its last commercial deployment was in the expedition sector, operating voyages in Arctic and Antarctic waters under charter before being withdrawn from regular cruise service. Earlier in 2026, the vessel was chartered by the Danish Defence to accommodate Danish and NATO personnel during the Arctic Endurance military exercise in Greenland.
SunStone placed the 137-metre ship on the market last month.
Critical Metals said Ocean Endeavour’s ice-strengthened design and operating record in both polar regions made it suitable for year-round use in Greenland. The ship will be moored close to the Tanbreez site and provide self-contained accommodation for project personnel.
The company said the arrangement would reduce pressure on limited housing and hotel inventory in Qaqortoq and surrounding communities while improving logistics during development of the mine.
“The Ocean Endeavour provides us with a flexible, proven platform that will support our workforce, improve logistics and enhance operational efficiency as we continue to progress our development activities in Qaqortoq,” Critical Metals chairman Tony Sage said.
He said the ship would also support the company’s long-term development plans in an area with limited infrastructure and environmental and cultural sensitivities.
Ocean Endeavour was built in Poland in 1982 as Konstantin Simonov, a Soviet passenger ferry operating in the Baltic Sea. After several ownership changes, the vessel was converted for cruise use in the early 2000s and later adapted for polar expedition operations in 2015.
In its expedition configuration, the ship accommodated about 190 passengers, supported by up to 124 crew and staff. It was subsequently chartered to several cruise operators for Arctic and Antarctic programs, including Intrepid, Chimu and Adventure Canada.
Critical Metals acquired a controlling interest in the Tanbreez project in 2024. The southern Greenland deposit is described by the company as one of the world’s largest undeveloped rare earth resources, with heavy rare earth elements used in defence systems, clean-energy technologies and advanced manufacturing.
The sale reflects the final transition of Ocean Endeavour from passenger expedition cruising to an industrial support role.
Content from this post was sourced from Maritime Executive
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