Atlas Ocean Voyages announced that German propulsion manufacturer SCHOTTEL has won a contract to supply state-of-the-art pump jets its fleet of five expedition cruise ships (with an option to include a sixth) which are under construction for Portugal-based Mystic Cruises.

Two pump jets – also known as hydro jets – will be installed aboard each of the 413-feet-long and 62-feet-wide luxury ships, under construction or on order at West Sea Viana Shipyard in Portugal.

The World Navigator, Atlas Ocean Voyages’ new ship to launch in July 2021, is the first ship under the new agreement to receive the state-of-the-art SCHOTTEL Pump Jets.

For her inaugural year, World Navigator will sail all-inclusive expeditions in the Black, Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas, South America, and Antarctica.

Mário Ferreira, Chairman of Mystic Invest, the holding company of Mystic Cruises and Atlas Ocean Voyages, said: “Our goal is to build the cleanest, safest and quietest expedition ships that meet and exceed the strict requirements of the regions where our ships sail. We designed our cruise ships to ensure that we do our part to help sustain these unparalleled places for future generations to enjoy.

“These SCHOTTEL exclusive thrusters are perfect for bringing guests closer to more marine wildlife – safely and sustainably. We can stop our ships’ propellers and engage the pump jets to quietly cruise up to five knots in wildlife-rich waters and not frighten away the beautiful fish. SCHOTTEL’s Pump Jets are very effective aboard previous Mystic Cruises ships, and we have again opted for SCHOTTEL’s system for Atlas Ocean Voyages’ expedition ships.”

Each of the new expedition cruise vessels will be equipped with two electrically driven SCHOTTEL Pump Jets type SPJ 82 (335 kW each). The extremely compact SPJs are not only being installed flush with the hull of these new vessels, but also in a small recess, further protecting the propulsion unit. The elastic mounting leads to minimized noise and vibration levels. Pump jets diminish ship vibrations for guests’ comfort and minimize cavitation, which significantly decreases underwater noise.