ASENAV and Antarctica21 have celebrated the launch of the Magellan Discoverer has been launched from the ASENAV shipyard in Valdivia, Chile.
This is a new expedition ship for Antarctica21, built at the same shipyard as its sister ship, the Magellan Explorer. Its inaugural voyage is scheduled for December 2026.
The event was attended by national and regional authorities. Steel cutting began in February 2024; the shipyard took 624 days to complete 90 percent of the vessel’s structure, with more than 500 people working, including ASENAV staff and contractors.
The Magellan Discoverer measures 94 metres in length, 17 metres in beam, and 30 metres in height; it has capacity for 96 passengers and 67 crew members, though in the fly-cruise experience offered by Antarctica21, the capacity will be limited to a maximum of 76 passengers.
The ship is equipped with an advanced hybrid-electric propulsion system consisting of four MAN engines totalling 4,800 ekW of power and two ABB Azipods; the ship also has a Corvus energy storage system; from a safety standpoint, the ship complies with the strictest Polar Code standards, classified as Polar Class 6 by Lloyd’s Register.
Fernando Rodríguez shared “Today, after many months of work, we celebrate the launch of the Magellan Discoverer, a milestone that is the result of the talent and collaboration of two companies from southern Chile. This vessel represents a leap forward in sustainable engineering, positioning ASENAV as a benchmark shipyard in the local maritime industry and placing Chile at the global forefront of innovation and vessel design. In just a few months, Antarctica21 will offer a new era of polar exploration aboard a cruise ship unlike any other in the Americas.”
Jaime Vásquez shared “This is a profoundly symbolic moment for us. With the launch of the Magellan Discoverer, we reaffirm our commitment to sustainable Antarctic tourism and to innovation from southern Chile. This new ship not only represents a technological leap in sustainability but also reflects Chilean talent and what we can achieve when we pursue excellence. We are proud to collaborate with ASENAV on this project, which combines cutting-edge engineering with a responsible vision for tourism in the planet’s most remote region.”
