Keel Laid for National Geographic Resolution

Lindblad Expeditions and Ulstein Group have celebrated the keel laying of Lindblad’s second polar newbuild, National Geographic Resolution, at the CRIST shipyard in Gdynia, Poland. The vessel was also officially named to honor the legendary explorer Captain James Cook.

Cook was the first to circumnavigate Antarctica, cross the Antarctic Circle, and the first European to reach Hawaii. While he captained several ships in his career, his favorite was the MS Resolution.

A highlight of the ceremony was the traditional laying of the commemorative silver coin, the Hawaii Sesquicentennial half dollar, struck in 1928 by the United States Bureau of the Mint in honor of the 150th anniversary of Cook's landing in Hawaii. The rare vintage coin is owned by Sven Lindblad and depicts Cook on the obverse and a Hawaiian chieftain on the reverse.

The newbuild is sister ship to the National Geographic Endurance. The 126-guest Polar Class 5 Category A vessel will feature Ulstein’s X-BOW, designed to provide fuel efficiency and significantly improve guest comfort in rough seas. The ship also has zero-speed stabilizers and expanded fuel and water tanks for extended operations in remote areas.

Ulstein Group developed the ship design for the Lindblad vessels and is responsible for the completion and delivery of the vessels from their own yard, Ulstein Verft in Ulsteinvik, Norway. 

Lindblad launched National Geographic Quest in July 2017, National Geographic Venture in December 2018 and is scheduled to deliver National Geographic Endurance in 2020.