Lindblad Expeditions has marked the keel laying of its second 126-guest polar newbuild at the CRIST shipyard in Gdynia, Poland.

The expedition operator also announced the new ship would carry the name National Geographic Resolution in honor Captain James Cook, the explorer who was the first to circumnavigate Antarctica, cross the Antarctic Circle, and the first European to reach Hawaii.

Scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2021, she is sister ship to the National Geographic Endurance which will make her inaugural voyage in April 2020.

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 Captain James Cook’s landing in Hawaii. The rare vintage coin is owned by Sven Lindblad and depicts Captain Cook on the obverse and a Hawaiian chieftain on the reverse.

Joining from the Lindblad team in Poland for the occasion was Nikolaos Doulis, Senior VP, New Buildings and Reed Ameel, New-Build Site Manager. Present for Ulstein was Kenneth Pettersen, Project Director and Jarle Åsemyr, manager hull department. Among the CRIST representatives was Marek Lewczuk, Project Manager.