MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Explorer's successor, M/S Expedition in Falklands next January

Canada's GAP Adventures is set to re-launch its polar expedition programme following the purchase of a replacement for the sunken Explorer ship, according to a company release.

The adventure travel operator's new ship, M/S Expedition, will set sail on January 4 with a plan to include tours in Antarctica covering the Falkland Islands and the South Shetland Islands. At the end of the Antarctic season in March, the ship will then head to the Arctic with dedicated trips around the Azores and Great Britain on the way. The ship will then launch from Scotland, traveling via the Norwegian Fjords towards Spitsbergen where the polar programme finishes. A team of ten expedition staff, consisting of expedition leaders, naturalists, historians, geologists and marine biologists, will accompany every cruise to share knowledge of the destination's history, environment and wildlife. The 105 meter-long Expedition, which can accommodate 120 passengers, replaces Explorer which sank after hitting an iceberg last November. A 15 million US dollar refit is planned for the new ship which includes the installation of new cabins with en-suite bathrooms and a refurbishment of the dining room, pub, lounge, gym and sauna. Built in Denmark in 1972, the ship has been operating in coastal waters around Scandinavia for 15 years. The ship will also have the latest safety equipment including a new covered lifeboat and rescue boat from Norsafe. With a focus on top of the line safety, comfort and the unique demands of polar travel, "we (GAP Adventures) will be transforming the M/S Expedition into one of the world's leading polar expedition cruise ships".