National Geographic Endurance Completes Sea Trials

Published Mar 5, 2020 7:36 PM by The Maritime Executive

National Geographic Endurance, an expedition ship purpose-built for polar navigation and the first polar new build for Lindblad Expeditions, has successfully completed her first sea trials.

The first of two new polar vessels for the line, the 126-guest National Geographic Endurance is fully stabilized with the highest ice class (PC5 Category A) of any purpose-built passenger vessel and features an X-Bow®.

National Geographic Endurance is expected to be delivered this month. The 124.4-meter vessel is being built by Ulstein. She has a deadweath of approximately 1,250 tonnes and a maximum speed of 17.3 knots.

Named in honor of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton’s ship, she will embark on her maiden voyage, Svalbard in Spring: Polar Bears, Arctic Light and Epic Ice on April 2, 2020. This will be followed by a series of expeditions including sailing through the Northeast Passage.

Lindblad Expeditions and Ulstein Group celebrated the keel laying of the second polar new build in October last year at the CRIST shipyard in Gdynia, Poland. National Geographic Resolution was named to honor Captain James Cook, the explorer who 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.