Vessel
Antarctica21’s newbuild Magellan Discoverer is nearing completion at ASENAV in Valdivia, Chile, with arrival in Punta Arenas planned for 25 October 2026. The 94-metre polar cruise ship is due to begin revenue operations in Antarctica in December, after a naming ceremony planned for November.
ASENAV moved the 94-metre Magellan Discoverer through the Calle Calle river in Valdivia before the hybrid-electric cruise ship’s open-water trials. The vessel, built for Antarctica21, required the Cau Cau Bridge to be raised to at least 30 degrees for the crossing.
ASENAV was named Gran Empresa Transformadora in the Naturaleza y Biodiversidad category of the Premios Iniciativas Sustentables 2025 for its Magellan Discoverer project. The hybrid-electric cruise ship, built in Valdivia for Antarctica21, was cited for reducing CO2 emissions and underwater noise in Antarctic waters.