Medical emergency aboard Hondius. Three dead. More critical.

#expeditioncruising . 

BBC has reported: "Three people have died after a suspected hantavirus outbreak on an expedition cruise ship en route from Argentina to Cape Verde, the World Health Organization tells the BBC"

The cruise company concerned, Oceanwide Expeditions has reported they are currently "managing a serious medical situation on board the vessel m/v Hondius, located off the coast of Cape Verde.

"During this voyage, three passengers have passed away. In addition, one passenger is currently being treated in intensive care in Johannesburg, and two crew members on board require urgent medical care."

Hantavirus is a viral infection spread through the urine, saliva, or faeces of rodents. It can cause severe respiratory and kidney disease in humans. It is considered extremely rare under normal circumstances and more so for shipboard cases.

More details as they come to hand.

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From On Board: South Atlantic with Oceanwide Expeditions

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Landing on the Edge: Tristan da Cunha and the South Atlantic Islands

From Hans Verdaat, Expedition Leader, Oceanwide Expeditions

Out here in the South Atlantic, plans are always provisional. The charts are precise, the briefings thorough, but the ocean still has the final say.

Oceanwide Expeditions plans two hybrid sail expedition vessels

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Oceanwide Expeditions has signed a letter of intent to build two expedition vessels using hybrid sail propulsion, with delivery scheduled for 2029 and 2030.

Oceanwide Expeditions Sets New Southernmost Navigation Record

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Oceanwide Expeditions has set a new world record for the southernmost position reached by a non-icebreaker vessel in the Weddell Sea, achieving the milestone for the second consecutive year.

Grafitti attack on historic aircraft hangar at Whalers Bay

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The historic aircraft hangar at Whalers Bay on Deception Island was recently vandalised with graffiti, sparking widespread outrage and condemnation from the conservation community.

Oceanwide celebrates 30 years of expedition cruising

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Today marks the 30th anniversary of Oceanwide Expeditions. Starting with a humble three-masted herring lugger, Oceanwide has expanded into a four-vessel fleet offering voyages in multiple destinations across the Arctic, Antarctica, and the sub-Antarctic islands.

New ship for Oceanwide Expeditions

#expeditioncruising .

Today Dutch polar travel company Oceanwide Expeditions celebrates the ship launch of its new Polar Class 6 vessel, m/v Janssonius, from Brodosplit Shipyards in Split, Croatia.

Built similar to its last vessel, m/v Hondius, the new Janssonius represents one of the most technologically advanced, structurally fortified expedition cruise vessels on the planet.

Oceanwide to launch year round Arctic expedition cruising program

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Dutch expedition cruise operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, will now operate all year round in the Arctic.

Dates and Rates for Arctic 2021 are now available for Hondius (170 passengers), Ortelius, Plancius (both with 108 passengers), Rembrandt van Rijn (33 passengers), and Noorderlicht (20 passengers).

Steel Cutting of m/v Janssonius Officially Begins

As announced last July, Oceanwide Expeditions has ordered a new built Polar Class 6 ship: M/v Janssonius. She will have the same passenger capacity as Hondius (174), a nearly identical size and design, and will be a Polar Class 6 ice-strengthened vessel equivalent to a 1A super ice-class ship.

Completely on schedule, the Steel Cutting Ceremony took place in Split's Brodosplit shipyard, which marks the beginning of the construction of the vessel.

Janssonius´ completion is scheduled for 2021 and as of November 2021, our new polar vessel will be cruising the crystalline waters of the polar regions, delivering dozens of wildlife-loving and adventure-seeking passengers to the most iconic locations in the Arctic and Antarctica.

The first trip planned for Janssonius will be a spectacular voyage to South Georgia, departing on 05 November 2021. The full list of dates and rates of the vessel will follow shortly.

Oceanwide Expeditions ready for a new Antarctic season

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Oceanwide Expeditions is packed, prepped, and fully primed for the 2020 Antarctic season, having made a series of key upgrades to its three m/v cruisers, Plancius, Ortelius, and Hondius.

In addition to their usual mid-season checkups, these vessels received multiple renovations: updated cabins for Plancius; a dining room and crew area makeover for Ortelius; and more user-friendly gangways for Polar Class 6 Hondius, as well as numerous smaller updates.

The completion of this work is a great kick-off for our Antarctica 2020 season, which is bright and full of adventure opportunities for every traveler.

Activities like mountaineering, snowshoeing, kayaking, camping, scuba diving, and photography workshops are all available, along with the chance to see such iconic Antarctic species as humpback whales, leopard seals, Adélie penguins, and so much more.

Our Antarctica 2020 program includes all of our most popular expeditions, such as our classic Antarctic Peninsula trips, which seek out some of the best landscapes and wildlife along this emblematic landmass.

On the other hand, our multi-activity Basecamp voyages are ideal for travelers who want a cruise as immersive as it is exhilarating.

Specialized Weddell and Ross Seas cruises are great for polar connoisseurs looking for lesser-visited locations, while people interested in a more expansive journey will love the stunning sub-Antarctic wildlife havens of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia.

Our philosophy at Oceanwide Expeditions is to get our guests off the ship and into the action as much as possible. This means short sea legs that provide as many outdoor excursions as we can fit in, with as many exotic wildlife sightings as nature (and our guides) can provide. This has been our mission for over 25 years.

Oceanwide orders sister ship M/V Janssonius

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Croatian shipyard Brodosplit, the builder of Hondius, won the follow on order for M/V Janssonius, which is scheduled to be completed in October 2021. The 174-passenger ship will be nearly identical in size and design, complete with a Polar Class 6 ice-strengthened vessel equivalent to a 1A super ice-class ship.

Oceanwide launches Polar Class 6 Hondius

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 It's been a very exciting week for polar cruising enthusiasts, with the launch of the the m/v Hondius. Two years in the making, Hondius recently sailed from the Brodosplit shipyard in Split, Croatia to her Dutch homeport of Vlissingen, home of her owner Oceanwide Expeditions. After a gala welcome ceremony on 03 June 2019 it was time for the inaugural guests to board before setting off on her maiden voyage to the Arctic.

Oceanwide launches World’s First Polar Class 6 Cruise Vessel

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World’s first-registered Polar Class 6 cruise launched
today in Croatia (Photo credit: Oceanwide Expeditions)

The world’s first-registered Polar Class 6 cruise vessel was successfully launched today at Brodosplit shipyard in Croatia.

Brodosplit has been building the polar expedition cruise vessel M/V Hondius for Oceanwide Expeditions, and on Saturday it was launched into the sea at the shipyard in the Dalmatian city of Split.



(Photo credit: Oceanwide Expeditions)

The polar expedition cruise ship is 107.6 m long and 17.6 m wide. It has 85 high hotel standard cabins which will be able to accommodate 196 passengers and will be powered by two engines with a total output of 4200 kW. It will be able to reach speeds of 15 knots.

Planned for launch in March 2019, Hondius is the world’s first-registered Polar Class 6 cruise vessel and features the latest green technology, meaning maximum impact for the consumer and minimal impact for Antarctica and the Arctic.

How the ship will look once the fitting is complete (Polar Expeditions Inc)

“Hondius is now in her element, the sea. She was successfully launched today at Brodosplit shipyard in Croatia in presence of Oceanwide’s shareholder and owner Wijnand van Gessel, COO Mark van der Hulst and colleagues of the ship’s operations team. She will now be berthed alongside to enter the next phase, the outfitting. We are all thrilled with how she looks and can’t wait to get her out for sea trials,” Oceanwide Expeditions said.

Oceanwide Expeditions supports Marine Protected Areas in Antarctica

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Oceanwide Expeditions applauds the adoption of the Ross Sea region marine protected area recently adopted by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and strongly supports more areas of protection.

Oceanwide Expeditions organizes two Ross Sea voyages between January and March 2017 with the ice-strengthened vessel Ortelius, including helicopter transfers.

As a founding member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), Oceanwide Expeditions advocates and promotes the practice of safe and environmentally responsible private-sector travel to the Antarctic.

“We pride ourselves on organizing high-quality polar excursions, with our ships taking hundreds of tourists to the Antarctic each year to experience the Antarctic continent, its ice shelves and islands, and the magnificent Southern Ocean that surrounds it.
We believe in a combination of tourism and protection, and are deeply committed to protecting this region so travelers may experience this wilderness area for generations to come. Tourism helps drive conservation on a large scale by exposing individuals to the awe-inspiring Antarctic environment, which then enables them to become ambassadors for the Antarctic’s pristine nature”.

To further our environmental goals, Oceanwide Expeditions supports marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica and elsewhere, a process than has been in place for several years. MPAs contribute to protect unique and representative habitats and ecosystems, serve as reference areas for science including climate change science, contribute to building resilience in the face of global climate change, and help ensure the sustainability of fisheries.

In 2009, the Commission committed to designating a network of large-scale marine protected areas in Antarctic waters. After initial progress, discussions to create two large MPAs in the Ross Sea and in East Antarctica had been in virtual gridlock since 2012. This changed dramatically in October 2016, when the Ross Sea region marine protected area was unanimously adopted. This protected the first of nine planning domains with an area of over 1.5 million square kilometers — the largest MPA in the world to date.

This is only the beginning, as other MPA proposals for the Southern Ocean are in various stages of development. In September 2016, at the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s World Conservation Congress, a resolution passed encouraging an increase in the percentage of marine areas in MPAs to at least 30 percent by 2030.

As one of the responsible users of the Southern Ocean, Oceanwide Expeditions looks forward to the enforcement of the Ross Sea region marine protected area in 2017 and the adoption of further MPAs. We encourage CCAMLR member governments to continue the process of establishing a network of permanent protected areas. Furthermore, we encourage other Antarctica Tour Operators members to support a complete ring of MPAs around Antarctica.

Oceanwide Expeditions announces new advanced Polar vessel Hondius

#expeditioncruising . Following the breaking story on expeditioncruising.com on 16 November, Oceanwide Expeditions breaks cover on their newest vessel.




Due to an increased demand for polar cruises, Oceanwide Expeditions, the leading exploratory Polar cruise company since 1996, has commissioned the building of an innovative 180-passenger vessel. The ship, called the Hondius, will be the strongest ice-strengthened vessel in the Polar regions. It is being built in Croatia by shipbuilder Brodosplit and will be available to customers in 2019.

“We currently sail with our ice-strengthened 116-passenger vessels Plancius and Ortelius, and the Hondius will give us the opportunity to accommodate more travelers, to grow as a company, and to offer new, innovative products in the Polar regions,” says Oceanwide Expeditions’ CEO, Michel van Gessel. “The name Hondius follows our custom to name our ships for celebrated Dutch-Flemish cartographers who continue to inspire us as we carry on their passion for exploration and discovery.”

Hondius was specially designed to support and serve Oceanwide’s exploratory programs and activity-based shore excursions in the Arctic and Antarctica. It will be rated Polar Class 6, similar to the previous Finnish-Swedish ice-class notation 1A-super. A speedy zodiac embarkation is guaranteed, with two separate gangways and an indoor platform that can be used for outdoor activities such as kayaking. While Hondius is at anchor during passenger excursions, it can drift or remain in position with the support of the bow and stern thrusters. One deck on board is reserved for an observation lounge, with a separate lecture room in order to offer simultaneous or multilingual lectures and presentations.

The vessel size will be 107 meters (350 feet) long, with a breadth of 17.6 meters (58 feet). It will be equipped with two main engines for a total of 4,200 kW, generating a speed of 15 knots.
Hondius will offer passengers an advanced hotel standard of quarters, as well as a variety of cabin categories, from spacious suites and superiors to twin and quadruple cabins. Guests will be accommodated in the following configurations: 1 spacious suite (cabin size 33 m2), 6 suites with balcony (cabin size: 29 m2), 8 superior cabins with balcony (cabin size: 22 m2), 19 twin deluxe cabins, (cabin size: 22 m2), 14 twin-window cabins (cabin sizes: 14 to 16 m2), 31 twin porthole cabins, 2 triple porthole cabins and 4 quadruple porthole cabins (cabin sizes of the porthole cabins vary from 13 to 16 m2).

“While traveling with Hondius, our passengers will recognize our distinctive Oceanwide approach -- a pleasant, informal atmosphere onboard, with a main focus on in-depth nature and wildlife programs and related shore activities,” said Van Gessel.

Over the years, Oceanwide Expeditions has developed a variety of outdoor activities and offers a dedicated Basecamp program that highlights free activities such as camping, kayaking, shore excursions including snowshoeing, mountaineering, zodiac cruises, scuba diving, and a photography workshop.

Opportunities for innovation and quality
Hondius gives Oceanwide Expeditions new opportunities to offer innovative and quality experiences. Oceanwide, a winner of a World Travel Award for Leading Polar Expedition Operator, is known for constant product innovation. Recent examples include shore-based excursion programs and special exploratory voyages, ship-based helicopter trips to the Ross Sea and the Emperor Penguins in the Weddell Sea, ski and sail programs in Spitsbergen and Greenland, and expeditions to the world’s most remote locations, such as Peter I Island and Bouvet Island.

Reducing negative impact on the environment
Hondius will be built according to the latest requirements of the International Maritime Organization, in particular concerning the safety of life at sea (SOLAS) and the prevention of pollution from ships (MARPOL) for passenger vessels.

The propulsion system consists of two medium speed main engines and one adjustable pitch propeller. The flexible power management (in combination with a shaft generator instead of a diesel-driven generator) permits the lowest possible fuel consumption and CO2 emission, and therefore a minimum possible impact on the environment. Further environmental features include the use of biodegradable lubrication oils; certifiably hazardous-free coating and paint of the vessel; the use of steam for onboard heating; minimal use of electrical heating (for less fuel consumption); LED interior and exterior lighting (reducing power and fuel needs); and waste heat, such as cooling water for the main engines, reused for the production of fresh water. All further existing requirements and restrictions while at sea and in the Polar regions will be strictly followed.

Oceanwide Expeditions rumoured to be new buyer of advanced polar class expedition vessel from Croatian shipbuilder

#expeditioncruising .

Updated:

Croatian shipbuilder, Brodosplit, has announced winning a contract to construct a new 196-passenger polar class expedition vessel for an as yet unnamed client simply described as a "leading company for commercial tourism in the polar regions". EC believes this client is established Dutch company, Oceanwide Expeditions. The company have been contacted for comment.

Due for delivery in 2019, the innovative vessel will be built to class LR PC6 (Polar Class 6), apparently the first cruise ship in the world to be built to this specification. It will comprise eight decks and 95 cabins, with 69 crew. Length will be 107.6m. (compare NG Orion at 103m) It will be driven by two engines with a total output of 4200kW and a speed of 15 knots.

The company recently delivered the small ship Arathusa to Grand Circle Cruise Line for operations in the Mediterranean and is currently constructing the world's largest sailing ship for Star Clippers.

Source: Brodosplit

Originally posted as 'New advanced polar class expedition vessel from Croatian shipbuilder'
- this article will be updated as new material comes to hand

Oceanwide discounts voyages to celebrate Ross Sea protection news

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Oceanwide Expeditions is celebrating the news that the Ross Sea will become the world’s largest marine protected area by offering discounts on its two upcoming trips to this vast Antarctic wilderness.

The protection status, which goes into effect late 2017, was recently announced by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, whose member countries voted to ban fishing (including krill and whales) in a protected zone the size of France and Spain combined. This agreement is a milestone for the protection of Antarctica, one of the world’s last wildernesses and a place to be preserved for future generations.

Oceanwide’s “Spectacular Ross Sea” voyage takes passengers through the Ross Sea, an immense bay south of the Antarctic Circle, one of the planet’s most remote areas and where few expeditions venture. It sails from South America to New Zealand (and in reverse) on the ice-strengthened vessel “Ortelius” – specially equipped with two helicopters to access hard-to-reach sights and afford aerial views of jaw-dropping scenery. The 32-day trip departs on Jan. 13, 2017, from Ushuaia, Argentina; and on Feb. 15, 2017, from Bluff, New Zealand. (This voyage will not be offered again before 2020.)

On the route, travelers sail into the Antarctic Peninsula, cross the Polar Circle, visit Peter I Island, and sail in the Bellingshausen Sea along the ice-edge of “deep Antarctica” into the Ross Sea. Here, voyagers will be treated to a helicopter landing on the towering Ross Ice Shelf, a massive glacier said to be the world’s largest body of floating ice, nearly the size of France. The voyage continues to the uninhabited sub-Antarctic Campbell Island and ends after 32 days in New Zealand. The second cruise offers the same itinerary, but in reverse.

Highlights*

• Land on the massive Ross Ice Shelf, with 164-foot ice walls
• View and photograph amazing wildlife, including Emperor penguins, Orca whales, seals, and dozens of bird species
• Fly to the Dry Valleys, the driest place on the planet, with conditions that replicate those on Mars
• Set foot on the rarely visited volcanic Peter I Island
• Sail to Campbell Island, home to the Southern Royal Albatross
• Visit the historic huts of Arctic explorers Ernest Shackleton and Robert Falcon Scott* Highlights are weather dependent

Pricing
Discounted pricing starts at US$19,950 per person for the January departure and US$17,450 for the February departure. It includes voyage, meals and activities during voyage period. More information available at www.oceanwide-expeditions.com.

Reservations
Reservations and inquiries may be made via oceanwide-expeditions.com, by calling 0031 118 410 410 or via email at info@oceanwide-expeditions.com during business hours Central European Time.

USA & Canada reservations and inquiries may be made via oceanwide-expeditions.com, by calling 1- 800-453-7245 or via email at usa@oceanwide-expeditions.com during business hours Central Time.

Ortelius engine failure in Svalbard

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source: cruiselaw.com

Last weekend, the Artic expedition cruise ship Ortelius (formerly Marina Svetaeva IMO 8509181) experienced an engine failure in Hinlopenstretet, near Vaigattøyane, and had to be towed back to Longyearbyen, according to a newspaper in Norway.

Svalbardposten reports that the Oceanwide Expeditions ship was sailing south through Hinlopenstretet, with 39 crew members and 105 passengers aboard, when it sustained an engine failure.

Engineers from the Netherlands were helicoptered out to the Ortelius on Saturday night in order to work on the ship's engine, and reportedly were working on the engine while it was under tow to prepare the ship for the next trip scheduled this week.

According to the Maritime Executive, the ship was built in Poland in 1989 and originally named Marina Svetaeva and served as a special purpose vessel for the Russian Academy of Science.

Photo credit: Gatorsaver911 - (taken by passenger Allen Powell of the Marina Svetaeva in Antartica. CC BY-SA 3.0,, commons / wikimedia).

Oceanwide Expeditions announces new departures to the ROSS SEA in Antarctica

After successful exploration runs in 2013 and 2015 the Dutch polar cruise company Oceanwide Expeditions has announced two new expeditions to the Ross Sea in 2017. The ice-strengthened vessel "Ortelius" will be accommodated with helicopters for the two Antarctica cruises, sailing from the South-American continent to the Antarctic Peninsula, crossing the Polar Circle, further west to Peter I Island, sailing in the Bellingshausen sea along the ice-edge of "deep Antarctica" into the Ross Sea. The voyage continues to the uninhabited sub-Antarctic Campbell Island and ends after 32 days in New Zealand. The second cruise offers the same itinerary, but in reverse.

The Ross Sea Challenge

The Ross Sea region of Antarctica has always presented a dream but also a challenge to visit to explorers. The Ross Ice Shelf prevents a full seasonal operation and distances are enormous. Apart from the extremes, landing sites are still difficult to reach. "With the advantages of the "Ortelius" in combination with the use of helicopters, our travelers are having some great opportunities exploring Antarctica's most fascinating sites", says CEO Michel van Gessel.

Historic Discovery Voyages

British Polar explorer Sir James Clark Ross discovered the Ross Sea region in 1841. It took another 60 years before the true race to the South Pole began when the British Royal Geographic Society sent Robert Falcon Scott on his voyage in 1901, followed by Ernest Shackleton (1907-09), Japanese explorer Nobu Shirase (1910-12), and another attempt of Scott and Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen who reached the pole in 1911. Many of the relics (such as the huts of Scott and Shackleton) of this golden period of exploration still exist, preserved by the cold, ready to be visited by modern-day explorers.

The expedition

Very few expeditions have ever ventured this far south to the Ross Sea. Oceanwide Expeditions tries to land passengers in such areas as the rarely visited volcanic Peter I Island, the huts of the British explorers Ernest Shackleton and Robert Falcon Scott on Ross Island, McMurdo Station, the Dry Valleys – where the conditions are the closest you get to the conditions on Mars - and Campbell Island, home to the Southern Royal Albatrosses.

The voyage contains one of the last wildernesses on earth, hardly affected and visited by humans. Passengers will experience the largest ice-formations in Antarctica and will encounter an astonishing diversity of life despite its incredibly harsh conditions. The Ross Sea is home to minke whales, orca's, weddell and crabeater seals, adelie and emperor penguins, petrels and skuas.

Contest

Oceanwide Expeditions is offering everybody the chance to win a free cruise passage on their ship the Ortelius with a Ross Sea contest they are currently running.

Oceanwide Expeditions Cleans Shores of Svalbard

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Oceanwide Expeditions completed the first “Cleaning the Shores of Svalbard” trip of the Svalbard cruise industry. The trip was an eight day voyage to the remote northern part of Svalbard dedicated to picking up garbage from the region’s beaches. An estimated 13 cubic metres of garbage was removed from three beaches in the area of Raudfjorden, the remote Rijpfjorden, and Mushamna in Woodfjorden. Each beach cleaned yielded 4-5 m3 of garbage consisting mainly of plastic of various origins, fishing rope, nets, and floats. The garbage was sorted onboard and with the assistance of Sysselmannen and the Svalbard Environmental Fund it has now been disposed of in a proper manner.

Background
In recent years more and more focus has been on the immense quantity of garbage (in particular plastics) that is dumped into the oceans of the world. Although the high Arctic archipelago of Svalbard is very remote, the Gulf Current terminates in this area bringing up many tons of garbage every year. Oceanwide Expeditions is committed to sustainable tourism and is proud to have supported the effort to make a difference.