Seabourn has marked the completion of ice model testing for the new Seabourn Venture’s PC-6 rated hull.

The testing, completed at a large indoor testing basin at Aker Arctic in Finland, provided a proven and effective means of ensuring Seabourn Venture’s hull design will perform as intended in the ice conditions it may encounter, according to a statement.

A ship rated to PC-6 Polar Class standards is capable of summer and autumn operation in ice conditions in Antarctica, the Arctic and other destinations. 

“We know that Seabourn Venture will deliver on the expedition experiences we’re creating after seeing this series of tests completed,” said Robin West, vice president of Expedition Operations for Seabourn. “Our team is fully committed to taking luxury expedition travelers to some of the world’s most sought after locations and Seabourn Venture is certainly going to be up to the task with its purpose-built design.”

During the ice testing series, a scale model mock-up of the ship’s hull was connected to a test carriage where maneuvering and operational tests can be conducted while Seabourn and Carnival Corporation team members look on through a series of viewing windows.

The keel laying for Seabourn Venture will take place in December. The ship is scheduled to launch in June 2021, with a second yet-to-be-named sister ship slated to launch in May 2022.