Antarctica21's Magellan Discoverer heads to Punta Arenas for a Nov. 6 christening
The 88-guest hybrid-electric polar ship, built by ASENAV in Valdivia, Chile, was handed over on Oct. 30. Its maiden voyage to Southern Chile and Antarctica sails Dec. 15.
Chile's newest expedition ship is on its way to the end of the world. Antarctica21's Magellan Discoverer has left the shipyard in Valdivia and is heading south to Punta Arenas, where it will be christened on Friday, Nov. 6, Cruise Industry News reported. The date is no accident. Nov. 6 is the Day of the Antarctic in Chile.
The ship's maiden voyage is set for Dec. 15, sailing to Southern Chile and Antarctica.
From shipyard to service
Chilean shipbuilder ASENAV designed and built the ship at its yard in Valdivia. The work took almost three years.
The ship set sail from the yard on Oct. 26 at 11 a.m., ASENAV said on social media. It headed to Corral, near Valdivia, for its last round of sea trials. An earlier set of trials wrapped up in early October.
According to a statement from Antarctica21, the company took over the ship on Oct. 30. The ship was registered and stocked with supplies that same day.
- Early Oct. 2026First set of sea trials completed
- Oct. 26, 2026Ship leaves ASENAV's yard in Valdivia for final trials off Corral
- Oct. 30, 2026Antarctica21 takes over the ship
- Nov. 6, 2026Christening in Punta Arenas on Chile's Day of the Antarctic
- Dec. 15, 2026Maiden voyage to Southern Chile and Antarctica
Source: Cruise Industry News
A small, hybrid ship for the ice
Magellan Discoverer is a small ship by any measure. It carries 88 guests and measures 5,900 tons. Like most expedition ships, it is built for landings by inflatable boat rather than big port calls.
The ship uses a hybrid-electric power system. It is also rated Polar Class 6, or PC6, which means it is built to sail in polar waters with some ice during the summer season.
ASENAV is proud of the project. "It is not just another ship," the shipbuilder said. "The Magellan Discoverer is a hybrid-electric polar expedition ship, with polar class PC6, designed 100% by ASENAV and built by Chilean hands in southern Chile."
"For Chile, it demonstrates something that we sometimes forget: that we can design and build world-class ships from Valdivia, with state-of-the-art technology and demanding standards, to operate in one of the most extreme environments on the planet," ASENAV added.
A second ship for Antarctica21
The new ship joins Magellan Explorer, Antarctica21's first ship, which ASENAV also built in Valdivia. The two will sail Antarctic expeditions side by side.
| Detail | Magellan Discoverer |
|---|---|
| Operator | Antarctica21 |
| Builder | ASENAV, Valdivia, Chile |
| Guests | 88 |
| Size | 5,900 tons |
| Ice class | PC6 |
| First voyage | Dec. 15, 2026 |
Antarctica21 is best known for air-cruises. On these trips, guests fly from Punta Arenas to the Antarctic and join the ship there, which skips the often rough Drake Passage crossing by sea. The company runs its own aircraft for these flights, according to its website. It also offers sea trips along the Patagonian fjords, the Falklands and South Georgia.
Why it matters
Magellan Discoverer was designed and built in Chile, close to where it will operate. Punta Arenas, its base, is one of the main gateways to the Antarctic Peninsula.
For travelers, a second ship means more departures on very small ships. With only 88 guests, it is small even by expedition standards.
What we don't know yet
Antarctica21 has not said who will serve as the ship's godmother or godfather, or who will attend the christening. We also don't know how many departures the ship will offer this season or how its fares compare with Magellan Explorer's.
For more ways to reach the White Continent, see our Antarctica cruise guide. We will update this story after the Nov. 6 ceremony.