The National Geographic News

Any competition requires skill — but when the stakes are high and seas are rough, the right technology can set contenders apart. On the popular National Geographic reality series "Wicked Tuna" and its spinoff, "Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks," commercial fishing crews compete to reel in elusive bluefin tuna. To brave North Atlantic waters off the coast of Gloucester, where the series is set, and bring in fish that are several hundred pounds, it's critical that captains outfit their…

Port of Aberdeen said Tuesday it had welcomed the first cruise ship into the "transformational" £400 million Aberdeen South Harbour expansion. The 203-meter-long AIDAaura, with a capacity for more than 1,200 guests, is the longest vessel to visit the Port of Aberdeen to date. The vessel arrived from Hamburg, Germany, for a full day visit as part of a Scottish cruise. The AIDAaura berthed on Castlegate Quay, and the guests were greeted by a 50-strong pipe band and Highland dancers from Robert Gordon’s College and ‘Welcome to Aberdeenshire’ volunteers.

Lindblad Expeditions has shared images of its newest fleet addition ahead of the vessel's inaugural voyage in the Galápagos Islands.The National Geographic Islander ll is an expedition cruise ship acquired to replace Lindblad Expeditions' vessel National Geographic Islander for year-round operations in the Galápagos. Accommodating just 48 guests in 26 suites, the ship will sail for Lindblad Expeditions with a 1:1 guest-to-crew ratioThe 3,370 GT, 280-foot-long ship was built by…

Lindblad Expeditions has take delivery of the secondhand expedition cruise ship National Geographic Islander II.The vessel, which was previously named Crystal Esprit and operated by Crystal Cruises, will sail year-round in the Galápagos Islands, replacing Lindblad Expeditions' vessel National Geographic Islander.The 3,370 GT, 280-foot-long ship was built by Flender Werft in Germany from 1989-1991 and was operated by Windsor Lines and Star Cruises before its sale to Crystal Cruises in 2015.Accommodating just 48 guests…

The wreckage of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton’s ship Endurance, which was crushed by Antarctic ice and sank some 10,000 feet (3,000 m) to the ocean floor more than a century ago, has been found, a team searching for it said on Wednesday.The three-masted sailing ship was lost in November 1915 during Shackleton’s failed attempt to make the first land crossing of Antarctica.Previous attempts to locate the 144-foot-long wooden wreck, whose location was logged by its captain Frank Worsley…

Lindblad Expeditions announced the launch of its second new polar vessel, National Geographic Resolution, on her inaugural voyage to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands. Under Antarctica’s clear blue skies and parked on fast ice in the Weddell Sea’s Duse Bay, guests walked onto the ice to cheer on Captain Heidi Norling as she christened the 126-guest National Geographic Resolution.“I wish this ship calm winds, fair seas, and great adventures. May everyone who sails with her be blessed,” marked Captain Norling as she tossed the bottle.

Wärtsilä Voyage delivered its integrated bridge and navigation solution for polar cruise vessel National Geographic Resolution. Built at Ulstein Verft shipyard, Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. took delivery of the National Geographic Resolution in September 2021. Along with its sister ship National Geographic Endurance, this is the second vessel in a series of two explorer vessels to have Ulstein signature X-BOW, the inverted bow concept combined with Wärtsilä’s integrated…

Lindblad Expeditions Holdings took delivery of National Geographic Resolution from Ulstein Verft, marking the official completion of the line’s second polar new build. Present at the handover ceremony in Ulsteinvik, Norway for the official signing was Nikolaos Doulis, Senior Vice President, New Buildings and Kenneth Pettersen, Project Director at Ulstein Verft. The vessel is now ready to set off for her inaugural polar voyage on November 17, 2021 to Antarctica, South Georgia and…

Lindblad Expeditions officially launched the newest addition to its fleet, National Geographic Endurance, at a dockside christening ceremony in Reykjavik, Iceland, the first christening of an international vessel in Reykjavík Harbor.The occasion, a closed ceremony exclusively for Lindblad Expeditions guests, marked a major milestone for the line as the first polar new build in the company’s history. Named to honor legendary explorer Ernest Shackleton, National Geographic Endurance…

Norwegian shipbuilder Ulstein Verft on Tuesday floated out the latest expedition cruise ship for U.S.-based Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc.The new ship, National Geographic Resolution, is a sister vessel to the National Geographic Endurance delivered in 2020, she is the second polar new build for the line.The 126-guest vessel is fully stabilized with the highest ice class (PC5 Category A) of any purpose-built passenger vessel. According to Ulstein, key to its design is the patented X-BOW - its powerful wave-slicing action will provide an extremely smooth ride in even adverse conditions…

Expedition cruise ship operator Lindblad Expeditions announced it will be reactivating National Geographic Explorer for a series of voyages in Iceland this summer, more than a year after the COVID-19 pandemic brought the cruise industry to a virtual standstill.The Iceland season will include six- and 11-day voyages commencing from July 7.All guests 16 years of age and over will be required to be vaccinated prior to travelling onboard for July voyages. On voyages departing August 1…

Expedition cruise ship operator Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic announced on Tuesday it plans to add additional voyages in Alaska this summer. Citing robust demand for its Alaska programming, Lindblad said it will reactivate its two remaining U.S.-flagged vessels. The 62-guest sister ships, National Geographic Sea Bird and National Geographic Sea Lion, will sail from Alaska on a series of departures starting June 25 and continuing through August. The company said it has added an additional 13 departures in total.All guests 16 years of age and over will be required to be vaccinated prior to traveling onboard. Among other health and safety protocols are negative COVID-19 tests, daily guest temperature checks and thorough cleaning procedures.

Ocean explorer and scientist Dr. Robert D. Ballard opens up on his personal life and his world-famous ocean discoveries like never before in his new book, “Into the Deep.” Best known as ‘the man who found the Titanic,’ Marine Technology Reporter had the opportunity to interview Ballard on the contents of the book, a book released yesterday with a follow-up National Geographic television special scheduled for June 14, 2021, taking a deep dive into his dyslexia, the importance of his family throughout his career…

Trawling of the ocean floor by fishing fleets releases roughly the same amount of carbon emissions into the water as aviation puts into the atmosphere each year, researchers said on Wednesday, calling for greater protection of the planet's seas.In a study published in the journal Nature, a team of 26 scientists and conservationists said marine protected areas (MPAs) are an effective tool for restoring biodiversity, expanding seafood supplies and storing climate-heating carbon.But at present…

A captain claims victory at the end of a popular high-stakes fishing competition thanks to help from a new electronic boat control system.When the Summer to Fall bluefin tuna season ends in Gloucester, Mass., it’s only just beginning in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. It’s in these rough waters that commercial fishermen compete on the TV show, “Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks.” A spin-off of the original “Wicked Tuna,” this series has run on National Geographic since 2014 and recently completed its seventh season on air in September 2020.Fishing for bluefin tuna comes with unique challenges.

Has the age of maritime discovery and exploration actually ended? Perhaps not exactly. As the history of maritime resilience and the human element shows, as far back as the 1500s and earlier, from using new navigational aids and improved ship designs, to coastal and inland route sailing, to navigating on open seas with uncertain charts, wayward icebergs, dense fog and luckily at times, clear starry nights, mariners have faced human element and maritime resiliency challenges. "Short of food and water…

Lindblad Expeditions Holdings in March took delivery of the newly constructed expedition cruise vessel National Geographic Endurance from Norwegian shipbuilder Ulstein Verft, marking the official completion of the line’s first polar new build.Endurance's hull was built in Poland, and the remainder of the vessel was constructed by Ulstein in Norway. The state-of-the-art ship was floated out in December, put through its paces during sea trials in February, and was due to begin sailing the Arctic this month…

A fisherman from a popular reality television series recently outfitted his vessel with a new electronic control system—giving him the edge in a high-stakes fishing competition.The waters of the North Atlantic Ocean can be treacherous—especially for fishermen pursuing the elusive bluefin tuna. This pursuit is the subject of the popular reality television series, “Wicked Tuna,” which chronicles the competition between commercial bluefin tuna fishermen in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Lindblad Expeditions’ National Geographic Endurance successfully completed its first sea trials in Storfjorden, the entrance to Norway’s Geirangerfjord.The next-generation expedition ship is a purpose-built for polar navigation and the first polar new build for Lindblad Expeditions.During the trials, the ship was put through a series of exercises which tested engines, azipods, navigation systems and emergency maneuvers.The first of two new polar vessels for the line, the 126-guest National Geographic Endurance is fully stabilized with the highest ice class (PC5 Category A) of any purpose-built passenger vessel, and features the distinctive X-Bow which will afford the smoothest…

Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, a global player in expedition cruises and adventure travel experiences, has celebrated the float out of National Geographic Endurance in Ulstein Verft, Norway.The first polar newbuild for the line, the 126-guest vessel is fully stabilized with the highest ice class (PC5 Category A) of any purpose-built passenger vessel, according to a press release.The vessel is scheduled for delivery in January 2020.Read Maritime Reporter & Engineering News' feature on Sven Lindblad from earlier in 2019 here: https://www.marinelink.com/news/explorer-profile-sven-lindblad-463899"Due to Polar Class 5 (PC5), the ship can venture far into polar areas.

In May 2014 National Geographic wrote an in-depth article on shipbreaking operations in Bangladesh where they listed shipbreaking as one of the deadliest professions in the world. The images from these shipyards are well circulated among professionals in the shipping industry. Individuals without personal protective equipment cutting and grinding into a ship that was haphazardly beached and torn asunder by unskilled laborers. Pollution swirl in the nearby tidal area and soot belches into the air. Large sections of ships come careening off endless rows of vessels that litter the beach.

Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, a global provider of expedition cruises and adventure travel experiences,  and Norwegian shipbuilder and ship designer Ulstein Group have celebrated the keel laying of Lindblad’s second polar new build at the Crist shipyard in Gdynia, Poland.The occasion also served as the official naming ceremony of the vessel. It is named as National Geographic Resolution,  in honor of Captain James Cook.Captain James Cook was the first to circumnavigate Antarctica, cross the Antarctic Circle, and the first European to reach Hawaii. While he captained several ships in his career, his favorite was the 'MS Resolution'.The newbuild is sister ship to the National Geographic Endurance which is being finalized at Ulstein Verft.

While nothing lasts forever, the cruise industry – and particularly the ‘expedition’ cruise sector – remain on a historic run with no indication of a near-term slowdown.The leisure travel sector, of which expedition cruising is a part, offers numerous possibilities for delivering new “experiences” unlike industrial shipping businesses (or even conventional ferry and passenger transport), which can only grow as fast as the demand in a particular sector.Though there is no precise definition of “expedition”…