Quark Expeditions today signed an agreement with Croatia’s Brodosplit to build a new expedition ship for polar operations, set to launch in 2020.

The 200-passenger ship was designed by LMG Marin in close cooperation with Quark Expeditions, the company announced.

The 13,000-ton ship will feature twenty zodiacs as well as four embarkation points for landings, as well as two helidecks. 

It is one of more than two dozen new expedition ships set to debut between now and 2022, according to the 2018 Expedition Market Report.

“This ship will be more than just a ship – it will be an unrivalled operational base for polar expeditions,” said Andrew White, Quark Expeditions President, “Our guests travel with Quark to maximize their expedition experience, push their boundaries and experience the magic of the polar regions. With this new ship, in the hands of the most experienced expedition team in the industry, we will get you off the ship and into nature further, faster and safer than ever before.”

Going further was a key consideration in the ship’s design, driving optimization of fuel, water, provisioning and waste handling systems to deliver an exceptional 40-day operational capability.

This extended range, in combination with the helicopters, will make destinations such as the Ross Sea and the remote western Antarctic “Phantom Coast” safely accessible.

Incorporating a wide array of groundbreaking safety systems, the ship will feature thirteen fully redundant critical systems, twin propellers powered by four engines in two separate engine rooms, and even a fully operational emergency bridge. And, unique to Quark, all expedition operations will be run by Quark Academy-trained expedition staff, the company said. 

“Quark Expeditions only operates in the polar regions – the most unforgiving areas of the world, so safety is our top priority.” added White. “That’s why we created Quark Academy to ensure the highest level of training in the industry and why, when we designed this ship, we included cutting-edge safety features and made no compromises for non-polar operations.”