China To Launch Its First Polar Expedition Cruise Line In 2025

Seaventure — Image Credits: Polar Latitudes/X

China plans to launch its first polar expedition cruise line, a significant step in polar exploration.

The Guangdong Port and Shipping Group and the Guangdong Travel Holding Group have announced the launch of a new brand called 66 Degrees Expeditions.

The company’s first polar cruise, to be held in May 2025, will initially focus on the Arctic region.

The initiative aligns with the Chinese government’s goals to increase its presence in the polar regions following the launch of new research programs and vessels in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Polar Expedition Cruising, one of the cruise industry’s fastest-growing sectors, has attracted major luxury brands such as Viking and Seabourn, transforming the market from basic to high-end ships.

According to China’s state media, polar tourism will increase by 180 per cent in 2023 compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, with a 20 per cent increase annually.

Polar travel is becoming increasingly popular as Chinese outbound travel rebounds.

The new expedition cruise line will launch with the 6,750 gross-ton vessel Poseidon, which was built by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 1990 and designed specifically for polar regions.

The ship formerly known as Seaventure and Bremen has a history of polar expeditions, having completed both the Northeast and Northwest Passages.

It will be refitted before joining 66 Degrees Expeditions and has an ice classification of “1A Super”, the highest rating for passenger vessels. The vessel, measuring 366 feet (111.5 meters) in length, will accommodate around 130 passengers on Antarctic trips, down from its capacity of 160 passengers.

The company states that the crew on the ship will consist of both Chinese and English-speaking staff to serve foreign passengers.

The brand plans to expand its fleet with new purpose-built ships for Arctic and Antarctic expeditions, further advancing the country’s shipbuilding development.

China Merchant Heavy Industries (CMHI) has been constructing smaller luxury expedition ships since 2019 and is expected to deliver the final ship in a seven-vessel series by August 2025.

The new 66 Degrees Expeditions focuses on China’s growing demand for high-end, global cruise experiences and the current growth in the polar tourism sector. As part of its mission, the brand aims to provide “international quality, Chinese friendship,” focusing on China’s ambition to play a more prominent role in global cruise tourism.

Reference: BairdMaritime, CruiseMapper

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