Greg Mortimer

MS Greg Mortimer cruise ship is an ice-strengthened (polar class 1A / PC6) expedition vessel. The boat is owned by the Danish company SunStone Maritime Group (via its USA-based subsidiary SunStone Ships Inc) and is currently operated under long-term charter by Aurora Expeditions (1991-founded Australian company specializing in polar cruisetours).

The vessel (IMO number 9834648) is currently Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 311000866) and registered in Nassau.

History - construction and ownership

Greg Mortimer is the first in a series of ten "Ulstein CX103" design (Infinity-class) expedition vessels, with sisterships Ocean Victory (2021-March), Ocean Explorer (2021-Feb), Sylvia Earle (2022-October, fleetmate), Ocean Odyssey (2022-March), Ocean Albatros (2022-Oct), Douglas Mawson (2025). Four more units were intended but eventually canceled and replaced by the new BOUNDLESS Class boats.

The patented ULSTEIN X-BOW design is one of the unusual for expedition ship features. The vessel also utilizes the latest technologies in naval engineering. The ship is technically managed by Cruise Management International (Miami-based passenger vessel/fleet management company). CMI Leisure Miami handles hotel operations.

For the interior designs of this entire series of SunStone-owned ships was contracted the Weston Florida-based company Tomas Tillberg Design.

Aurora Expeditions cooperated with the US-based shipowner SunStone Ships Inc to construct a custom-designed vessel for expedition-type voyages in the polar regions, providing the industry's best adventure travel vacation experiences and modern amenities.

Aurora Expeditions is among the pioneers of polar expedition cruising and a leading adventure travel company on the Australian market. The company was one of the first to introduce ship travel to numerous remote destinations in the polar regions. Established in 1991, in 2008 Aurora Expeditions was sold and the new owners remained true to the original expedition spirit. Initially offering small-group cruises to Antarctica, Aurora Expeditions now also operates expedition voyages to Norway's Svalbard Islands, Russia's Far East, Greenland, Papua New Guinea, Africa (Chobe River safari cruises in Botswana), Amazon River.

Ship technology

The major advantage of the patented "ULSTEIN X-BOW" design is the ship's ability to navigate with improved stability in comparison to traditional bow-design vessels. X-BOW vessels are less subject to vertical motions (induced by waves), continuing on course smoothly while maintaining high speeds. The ship's engines use less fuel, which results in reduced air emissions and fuel consumption.

The ship is equipped with the latest propulsion and return-to-port systems. It also has top-notch dynamic positioning technology - computer-controlled systems allowing automatic maintenance of the vessel's position through its own propulsion units (thrusters and propellers). This allows stable floating while maintaining the necessary stability for launching watercraft - and without using anchors.

With the highest for passenger vessel ice-class 1A (Polar Class 6 / PC6), MS Greg Mortimer has icebreaking capacity 1 m (3 ft) and complies with the maritime industry's latest polar code requirements and specifications. The boat offers unprecedented levels of safety and environmental protection. Exclusively designed for polar cruises, the ship allows Aurora Expeditions to continue to provide the company's authentic, top-quality small-ship travel experience.

Shipboard facilities

The cruise ship features dedicated outdoor observation areas (including fore-located Observation Deck with two Hydraulic Platforms / Viewing Platforms accessed from Deck 5), a stern marina (watersports platform serving the company's sea kayaking, snorkeling and scuba diving programs), a fleet of 15x Zodiacs (large-capacity motorized boats used for passenger transportation - tendering and landings). The aft-located Zodiac loading platform (accessed from either side on Deck 3) is a new design launching platform that allows easier and faster boarding for shoreside transportation. Sun Deck (top-deck forward) is furnished with premium garden furniture (sofas, armchairs, sun loungers) and used for both relaxation and wildlife viewing. The top-deck bow is the Observation Lounge (served by its own Bar) and midship is the funnel (with four smokestacks/engine exhaust pipes).

Other facilities include Medical Centre (Infirmary), Change Room (Mudroom), Bar Lounge (lecture theater forward on Deck 5), Dining Room Restaurant, Ship Shop, Lobby area (Reception Desk), Library, Art Room, Wellness Centre (Fitness, Spa, Sauna Room, Treatment Rooms for Massages), Lower Sun Deck (Deck 7 aft, with lifeboats and liferafts), Upper Sun Deck (Deck 8 midship, with sunbathing area and two whirlpool hot tubs).

Four Zodiac Docks (2 on each side, hull access at sea-level) serve as boat launching platforms.

Cabins

MS Greg Mortimer staterooms (80 total) are for 120 passengers (max capacity 160). Most cabins (80% of all, excepting only Aurora cabins with portholes on Deck 3) are with a private, step-out balcony accessible from the living area via sliding, floor-ceiling glass door. Each balcony is furnished with a small table and two deck chairs. 60% of all cabins can be booked with triple occupancy (accommodate a 3rd person on pull-out couch/sofabed).

Hotel beds (King-size or two twin, size 200 x 160 cm, ample under-bed storage space for suitcases), sleeping couch (sofabed), bedside cabinets, mirrored vanity (writing desk / dressing table) with chair, built-in dressers with drawers, mini-bar / refrigerator, 42-inch smart HDTV (local and satellite reception), phone (onboard communication only), digital clock / alarm, seating area (small table with 1 or 2 armchairs), spacious wardrobe (closet with hangers, drawers, electronic safe), individual climate control, medical emergency button.

Each stateroom has a private, full-size bathroom with shower / WC, hairdryer, premium bath amenities. Suites are in 3 categories - CS-Captain's, JS-Junior and BS-Balcony. These are the largest staterooms, with double-size balconies and offering extra amenities, such as in-room dining service (continental breakfast served on the balcony).

The ship has a total of 20 pairs of connecting cabins (balconied rooms) that can be booked as one stateroom ("family cabin") for up to 6 persons. The boat has no wheelchair-accessible cabins (for passengers with disabilities).

Itineraries

On January 22, 2018, Aurora Expedition officially announced MS Greg Mortimer's full polar cruise itinerary program for the inaugural season 2019-2020. The inaugural cruise departure (from homeport Ushuaia Argentina) was scheduled for October 31, 2019.

Following the "Inaugural Cruise" to Antarctica were planned a total of 20 "icy voyages" (season 2019-2020) with itineraries visiting Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia Island (UK) and The Falklands, as well as the Arctic destinations Svalbard Islands (Norway), Jan Mayen Island (Norway), Franz Josef Land (Russia), East Greenland, Iceland.

In summer 2025 (June-September), ship is scheduled to operate Arctic voyages (Svalbard, Greenland, Jan Mayen) and to transit the Canadian Arctic/Northwest Passage before returning to Antarctica in October (2025).

The ship is named in honor of Greg Mortimer (born 1952), co-founder of Aurora Expeditions together with his wife Margaret Mortimer. He is best known as one of the first Australians to climb Mt. Everest without oxygen (October 1984).

The vessel’s construction officially began on March 16, 2018, with the steel-cutting ceremony at Jiangsu FRP Shipyard (Haimen Base, China). Attendees included Xianfu Hu (CMIH General Manager) and Niels-Erik Lund (SunStone CEO). The keel-laying ceremony was held on June 12, 2018, and the ship was launched (floated out from drydock) on March 12, 2019. The launching ceremony was attended by Greg Mortimer (Aurora Expeditions), Xianpu Hu (China Merchants Group Managing Director), and Niels-Erik Lund (SunStone Ships President).

The vessel was delivered and christened on September 6, 2019, at Haimen Shipyard. The official naming ceremony took place on October 31, 2019, in Ushuaia, Argentina. The ceremony was led by godmother Margaret Mortimer (Aurora Expeditions co-founder) and attended by representatives of SunStone Ships Inc, CMI Leisure Management, Ulstein Group, VIP guests, as well as the ship’s crew and passengers on the current voyage.

Following delivery, the vessel’s MMSI number (flag-state) was changed from 205077000 (Belgium) to 311000866 (Bahamas).

In February 2018, Aurora Expeditions announced a management agreement with "CMI Leisure Management," a Miami-based company. The deal included staffing, hotel services, housekeeping, onboard food and beverage operations, purchasing, and logistics. CMI Leisure, one of the world’s leading small-ship management companies, had previously worked with Aurora Expeditions on managing the SunStone-owned MS Polar Pioneer.

On March 16, 2017, SunStone Ships Inc signed a 4-shipbuilding agreement with the Hong Kong-based company China Merchants Industry Holdings (CMIH). SunStone is the world’s largest expedition shipowner (by tonnage), chartering vessels exclusively to the cruise industry. With options for an additional six units, the “ULSTEIN CX103” project could result in up to ten vessels.

CMIH, a subsidiary of China Merchants Group (one of China’s largest conglomerates), partnered with the Norwegian company Ulstein Design (Ulstein Group, headquartered in Ulsteinvik, Norway) to supply the ship design and equipment package (including the ULSTEIN COM Navigation Bridge system, ULSTEIN IAS integrated automation, and ULSTEIN POWER systems) and to supervise shipyard operations. Florida-based Tomas Tillberg Design International was contracted for the ship’s hotel and interior design. The design incorporates Ulstein’s patented X-BOW, improving fuel efficiency and stability in rough seas. The vessel meets the 2009 SOLAS standards for “Virtual Anchorage” and “Safe Return to Port” (SRtP), achieved via Dynamic Positioning (computer-controlled positioning) and Zero Speed Stabilizers (roll reduction).

CMIH also contracted the Finnish company IS Makinen Inc to prefabricate cabins, wet units, and interior public spaces. To support this, Makinen established a cabin assembly plant and interior workshop at the shipyard in China.

The builder of the project is China Merchants Heavy Industry.

The vessel (Jiangsu yard/hull number CMHI-196-1) is powered by four Wärtsilä 20 diesel engines (two 6-cylinder and two 8-cylinder) running on HFO (heavy fuel oil). The 6-cylinder units are equipped with Wärtsilä NOR exhaust gas cleaning systems (NOx reduction technology). Wärtsilä signed the contract in November 2017 and delivered the engines in January 2018.

The propulsion system is diesel-electric (twin-screw), designed by Brunvoll Volda AS (Norway), a specialist in marine propulsion and maneuvering systems. For the ULSTEIN CX103 project, Brunvoll contracted DMC (Damen Marine Components, Netherlands) to supply two Van der Velden ATLANTIC rudders and two Van der Velden COMMANDER steering gear systems.

The USD 260 million order for the first four vessels was signed in June 2017. The first of the series (Greg Mortimer) was scheduled for delivery in August 2019, with subsequent ships delivered at six-month intervals.