SunStone Takes Delivery of First Expedition Cruise Ship Built in China

Photo courtesy Ulstein Group

The first expedition cruise ship built in China has been delivered to Miami-based Sunstone Ships.

The vessel is the first of potentially ten Infinity-class polar expedition ships to be built at the China Merchants Heavy Industries Haimen shipyard China for Sunstone.

The vessel was named Greg Mortimer after the founder of the Australian company Aurora Expeditions, who has chartered the ship.

The Infinity-class vessels are designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions of Norway with input from Aurora Expeditions. They are the first cruise ship to feature Ulstein’s patented X-Bow hull form.

The 104-meter, 8,500 GT vessels will be built to Polar Class 6 standards for operations in Arctic and Antarctic waters, with 160 passenger capacity in 80 cabins.

To date, SunStone Ships has confirmed orders for total of five Infinity-class ships as part of a framework agreement with CMHI signed in 2017.

The other four ships in the class will be delivered in March 2021, September 2021, February 2021 and February 2022, according to SunStone’s website.

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