After taking delivery of the world's first-registered Polar Class 6 vessel, the Hondius, on 6 June 2019, Oceanwide Expeditions has now ordered a sister ship. The m/v Janssonius is scheduled to be completed in October 2021.
The vessel will be built by the same shipyard that built the Hondius; Brodosplit Brodogradiliste in Croatia. It will have the same passenger capacity as the Hondius (174), a nearly identical size and design, and will also be a Polar Class 6 ice-strengthened vessel equivalent to a 1A super ice-class ship.
Vessel Particulars
The ship will measure 107 metres long, and its beam will provide a width of 17.6 metres. It will be powered by two main engines delivering 4200 kW and enabling speeds of up to 15 knots, comparable to the Hondius. The propulsion system is also similar and includes an adjustable pitch propeller, flexible power management, and a shaft generator as opposed to a diesel-driven generator, which reduces fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.
To reduce its environmental impact further, the ship will employ LED interior and exterior lighting, biodegradable paints and lubricants, steam heating that uses a minimum of electricity, and waste heat that will be reused for the production of fresh water.
Ship-to-Shore Facilities
Like the Hondius, the Janssonius will come equipped with a number of advanced systems and features specifically designed for safe, swift, and flexible polar voyages throughout the Arctic, Antarctica, and the sub-Antarctic. It will have a protected indoor Zodiac loading area that can also be used for sea-based activities such as kayaking, and there will be two separate gangways to further facilitate ship-to-shore operations. Its stern and bow thrusters will enable the Janssonius to drift or remain stationary comfortably.
Observation Lounge and Accommodation
One of the decks will be a dedicated observation lounge complete with a separate lecture room. Cabin categories include suites, superiors, twins, and quadruple cabins. Six of the suites will have balconies. There will also be eight superior cabins with balconies, 19 twin deluxe cabins, 14 twin window cabins, 31 twin porthole cabins, two triple porthole cabins, and four quadruple porthole cabins.
Johannes Janssonius
Like most of the ships in the Oceanwide fleet, the Janssonius is named after a historic Dutch cartographer: Johannes Janssonius (1588-1664). He was a map maker and publisher born in the Dutch town of Arnhem, but who lived and worked primarily in Amsterdam.
