Vard Delivers Second Expedition Cruise Vessel To Coral Expeditions

VARD, one of the world’s major designers and builders of specialized vessels, has completed a successful handover of the second Expedition Cruise Vessel, Coral Geographer, to Coral Expeditions of Australia.

Following the successful delivery of the sister ship Coral Adventurer in 2019, Australia-based Coral Expeditions ordered a second VARD 6 01 Expedition Cruise Vessel as part of its fleet expansion. The brand-new Coral Geographer is now ready to sail on new adventures after arriving from Vard Vung Tau, VARD’s shipyard in Vietnam. Her first maiden voyage with passengers will start from Cairns, Queensland, at the end of March.

The vessel’s VARD 6 01 design was developed by Vard Design in Norway in close cooperation with the customer. It has been specially tailored for personalized expedition cruises to remote and exotic destinations in Asia and Oceania.

Image Credits: VARD

Coral Geographer is 93.7 meters long in total, with a beam of 17.2 meters. It has accommodation capacity for 120 guests. The on-board environment is geared for daily shore expeditions, lectures, and briefings, while finished to a high standard of comfort.

The vessel features public areas with ample open deck space. Staterooms with generous, open balconies occupy over half of the total vessel area. Original artwork sourced from indigenous communities in Australia visited by the company’s fleet grace the interiors. The ship features interior and ventilation systems provided by Vard Accommodation and is also equipped with Vard Electro’s state-of-the-art SeaQ product series for navigation systems, integrated systems, marine electronics, and electrical systems.

Mark Fifield, Group General Manager of Coral Expeditions says: “This is the second ship we are building with VARD. We are pleased with the result. We would like to place on record our deep appreciation for the professionalism and commitment of all the VARD staff involved in this project”.

Fredrik Hessen, General Manager of VARD’s Offshore and Specialized Vessels business unit, says: “We highly appreciate the great cooperation between Coral Expeditions and VARD. Together we have developed two excellent vessels for exciting adventures. We wish Coral Expeditions all the best and look forward to continuing our relationship in the future.”

The sister vessels Coral Adventurer and Coral Geographer have been customized to meet Coral Expeditions’ expedition product requirements in the Australian cruise market. With a focus on intimacy, high quality and optimal passenger experience, the vessels enable guests to experience exotic regional locations at close hand. Featuring advanced expedition tender capabilities and accommodation across four decks – from Bridge Deck Balcony Suites, Bridge Deck and Explorer Deck Balcony Staterooms, to Coral Deck Staterooms – the on-board environment is both comfortable and functional, allowing for relaxation, socializing, and daily shore expeditions.

Coral Geographer

• Expedition Cruise Vessel
• Overall length: 93.7 m
• Beam: 17.2 m
• Design: VARD 6 01

Press Release

Source: Maritime Shipping News