Antarctica21 has signed with V.Ships Leisure to manage its new Magellan Discoverer which will debut in Antarctica for the 2026-27 season.

V.Ships will provide ship management, crew management and newbuild support, according to the company.

The Magellan Discoverer is the second newbuild for Antarctica 21 and is currently under construction at the ASENAV shipyard in Chile. It follows in the footsteps of the Magellan Explorer which debuted in 2019 for the company, which specializes in fly-cruises in Antarctica.

The vessel will be the first hybrid-electric polar expedition vessel and will be fitted with ice-class pods.

The accommodations aboard will all be suites, and the Magellan Discoverer is slightly bigger than the Magellan Explorer, growing to 94 meters in length from 90.8, and adding one meter on the beam.

Designed for Antarctica21’s unique fly-cruise operation from King George Island, the ship has been designed with a 60-day operational range, meaning bigger fuel tanks, water tanks, storage areas and room for more garbage and recycling.