The global marine and offshore vessel management and support services provider V.Group said that its V.Ships Leisure unit has been awarded a contract by Antarctica21 for the technical management of the expedition vessel, Magellan Explorer.
The 100-guest Magellan Explorer is currently under construction at Asenav in Chile and due to be delivered in October 2019, the ship management company company said.
The vessel, which is being built to the new polar code and is uniquely customised for fly-cruises in Antarctica, will join Antarctica21’s fleet as the first newbuild for the Chile-based cruise brand, with their current fleet on charter agreements.
Antarctica21’s President and Chairman Jaime Vásquez stated, “partnering with V.Ships Leisure, the leading provider of ship management and related services in the cruise industry, we can focus on our distinctive core business which, unlike most of our peers, avoids the Drake passage by flying our guests to King George Island, thus allowing better comfort and more quality time in Antarctica”.
Per Bjornsen, V.Ships Leisure Director said: “We are delighted to be able to bring our unique experience with start-ups and expedition vessels to support Antarctica21 as it welcomes its first newbuild. The combined experience of V.Ships Leisure and the entire V.Group will deliver a bespoke solution for this unique fly-cruise concept.
“The award of this contract demonstrates how V.Group’s scale and flexibility allows us to compete and win across any region or sector. While we have the capacity and global reach to cater to the major cruise groups, independent operators and start-ups can leverage the same scale and systems to compete with these large groups. Because of our breadth of services, we can tailor our value proposition depending on location and size of business.”
Growth in the diversifying cruise market is a key part of V.Group’s strategy. V.Group was the first ship management company to set up a dedicated cruise brand and team, and is building on this expertise to drive market share in the rapidly developing expedition cruise niche.
The release said that V.Group is actively tackling the challenge of developing the skills needed to meet the growing demands of the polar code. V.Group’s e-learning expert, Marlins has developed an interactive e-learning tool for Polar Code which is approved by the Bahamas flag for training deck officers in the initial stages of the code.