Quark Expeditions took ownership today of the new 199-guest Ultramarine.

The official handover of the technologically-advanced ship took place in Split, Croatia, attended by Malcolm Ellis, Senior Vice-President of Operations for Quark Expeditions, and members of the Brodosplit shipyard team.

“Today, we took ownership of more than a new ship. We officially welcomed into our fleet a game-changing vessel that will soon become an unrivalled operational base for polar adventures,” said Andrew White, President of Quark Expeditions. “Every aspect of Ultramarine has been designed and engineered to enable our teams to get guests off the ship and deep into the polar wilderness better than ever before. This new vessel–in the hands of the most experienced team in the expedition industry–will allow us to create truly immersive off-ship adventures for our guests while providing them with a superior onboard experience.”

“This game-changing ship was delivered after more than five years of dedicated work and considerable financial resources,” said White. “This commitment of time and money, especially during an industry-challenging pandemic, reflects our confidence in the future of polar travel and underscores our commitment to delivering life-changing polar experiences no one ever thought possible.”

Added Ellis:  “The completion of Ultramarine—with its superior on-ship amenities and advanced technology—is a testament to the community of engineers, naval architects, welders, structural fabricators, riggers, electricians and all of the other crew at the Brodosplit shipyard—as well as the designers, innovators and operational team members in the Quark Expeditions head office—who’ve worked long and hard over the last three years. So many people have contributed to the building of this vessel—and that includes our expedition team whose input spurred so many of the innovations that catapult Ultramarine into a league of its own.”

Among the features on the ship are two two-engine helicopters and two heliports aboard, twenty zodiacs, and what Quark said is the industry’s largest selection of adventure options.