The RCGS Resolute is now under the One Ocean Expeditions umbrella after a handover ceremony in Hamburg. The vessel joins the Canadian expedition operator on a long-term charter agreement after a 25-year career with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.
Following a trans-Atlantic crossing, the ship will be christened in Sydney, Nova Scotia, on Oct. 16.
The RCGS Resolute will boost Andrew Prossin’s One Ocean Expeditions’ capacity by some 40 to 50 percent come 2019 when she operates a full year of service alongside the Akademik Ioffe and Akademik Sergey Vavilo, which are Russian research vessels.
The company plans to operate the ship at 146 guests, and will have worldwide itineraries, also introducing warm-water destinations for the first time in the shoulder season.
The vessel was originally ordered in 1989 for Society Expeditions for a June 1991 delivery as the Society Adventurer.
The company was owned by Germany-based Discover Reederei and had Abercrombie & Kent as its sales agent in the United States.
But news unfolded a week before delivery as Society announced it would not take delivery of the ship, citing issues with the shipyard. The title of the vessel was then transferred back to a subsidiary of the shipyard. Rauma Yards then put the 8,200-ton expedition ship up for sale, noting it could cruise for two months without taking fuel or provisions with an operating range of 8,500 nautical miles.
1992 saw Society Expeditions file for bankruptcy while in September, Germany’s Hanseatic Tours signed a two-year charter deal for the ship, with operations starting in March 1993. The ship was renamed Hanseatic and Hanseatic Tours was eventually purchased by Hapag-Lloyd in 1997.
