Quark Expeditions names polar ship Ultramarine

Quark Expeditions has announced details of its new polar expedition ship scheduled to set sail late in 2020,  which will be called Ultramarine.

The ship will boasts two twin-engine helicopters and two helidecks and 20 quick-deploy Zodiacs. Quark said it will offer “the industry’s largest selection of adventure options”, including sea kayaking, paddling, hiking, mountaineering, cross-country skiing, stand up paddle boarding and helicopter flight-seeing, heli-hiking and heli-skiing.

“We picked the name Ultramarine because it links us directly to the sea, which of course is integral to our identity,” said Andrew White, president of Quark Expeditions. “But the word ‘ultra,’ especially by its modern-day definition, ‘beyond what is ordinary,’ reflects our signature approach to polar exploration. We create expedition experiences that go beyond what others in the industry can offer – especially in terms of off-ship experiences. Ultramarine has been designed in a way that will continue to allow us to go beyond and take people to places no one else can.”

“Ultramarine will be an unrivalled operational base for polar adventures,” added White. “This new vessel – in the hands of the most experienced team in the expedition industry – will allow our guests to go further into the polar regions than ever before, while maintaining the same respect for nature that has always been paramount to us. Ultramarine will allow our guests to spend their days embracing the off-ship adventures that have made Quark Expeditions so popular. And once back on the ship after a day of polar exploration, they will be able to rest, relax and rejuvenate in a high-end, modern contemporary space.”

The inaugural season for Ultramarine is expected to go on sale this summer. The first voyages will set sail in the Antarctic 2020-21 season.