By
Laura Hyde |
Antarctic air-cruise expedition cruise operator Antarctica21 has officially welcomed its first purpose-built hybrid ship Magellan Discoverer into its fleet. The ship was christened at a ceremony in Punta Arenas, Chile, on 6 November 2026 ahead of its maiden passenger voyage on 15 December.
Magellan Discoverer, which was built at the ASENAV shipyard in Valdivia, Chile, features 40 cabins with private balcony, a 360-degree walking deck and an accessible bow. The interiors were created by Tomas Tillberg Design and inspired by Explorers House, Antarctia21’s private expedition centre in Punta Arenas.
Read more: Interior view Magellan Discoverer
Magellan Discoverer accommodates 76 passengers in 40 cabins, all of which have a private balcony (Photo: Tom Arban)
The ship has been built to PC6 ice-class standard (like sister ship Magellan Explorer) and is the first hybrid diesel-electric polar vessel with azimuthal propulsion to be built in the Americas. The propulsion system combines an ABB Onboard DC Grid, two ABB Azipod units and a Corvus Energy battery storage system, which allows the ship to navigate in near silence and with zero emissions. Antarctica21 plans to use this capability during low-speed transits, approaches to landing sites and manoeuvres when wildlife is nearby.
Read more: ASENAV: Chilean precision engineering for polar cruising
“Antarctica21 was founded on the belief that there had to be a better way to reach and explore Antarctica, and that spirit still drives everything we build,” said Verónica Peragallo, CEO of Antarctica21. “Magellan Discoverer is our newest and most refined air-cruise offering, and our most responsible. It carries small groups, a team that knows every guest, and the quietest, cleanest propulsion we have ever put to sea. That is what continuous innovation means to us: a journey that changes how our guests see the world, delivered in a way that protects it.”