Seatrade Cruise News is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

Quark Expeditions orders $130m polar-class ship from Brodosplit

5fa33816875fb13b2d4b1dbf926be1a0
The Quark vessel is LMG Marin’s first in the polar expedition cruise ship segment
Quark Expeditions has placed an order for a 200-passenger polar expedition cruise ship of LMG Marin design at Croatia’s Brodosplit shipyard.

The 13,000gt, 128mtr ship is scheduled for delivery by third quarter 2020, in time for the 2020/21 Antarctic sailing season. (For the 2018/19 and 2019/20 Antarctica seasons Quark has chartered newbuild World Explorer from Portugal's Mystic Cruises.)

The Brodosplit vessel is tailored for operations in polar and distant regions, and will be built according to DNV-GL Polar Class 6 standard. Four main engines with diesel-electric gensets will be able to produce a total power of 4400 kW and a 16-knot top speed.

Two helicopters and Zodiacs for tours

The top deck includes infrastructure for two helicopters for flightseeing and heli-skiing. The ship will also carry 20 Zodiacs, rapidly deployable from an internal Zodiac hangar with four embarkation points.

All passenger cabins have either large windows or a private balcony, with several cabins catering to disabled persons. There is space for 116 crew members. The vessel is further equipped with a spa and wellness area, and two restaurants.

‘We are pleased to share that the Croatian government has recognized that this contract will have a significant, positive effect on the Croatian economy, and that the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) as a creditor stands firmly behind this great export deal that incorporates 75% domestic production,’ said Tomislav Debeljak, ceo of Brodosplit.

75% of the ship's construction will be sourced from Croatian suppliers

‘Significant and innovative projects, like this one, are a wonderful opportunity for Croatian equipment manufacturers to demonstrate their world-class quality. And the fact that more than 75% of the products utilized in the ship’s construction will be sourced domestically is particularly gratifying,’ he continued.

Norway-based LMG Marin, a fully-owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Marine Ltd, has designed more than 100 ferries, RoPax vessels and passenger vessels of various kinds, built at shipyards worldwide. The Quark vessel is LMG Marin’s first in the polar expedition cruise ship segment.

Brodosplit is the largest Croatian shipyard, located in Split. It is currently building 300-passenger Flying Clipper for Star Clippers and 180-passenger Hondius for Oceanwide Expeditions.