Seabourn has marked a major construction milestone earlier in the week with a launch ceremony for its newest expedition ship, Seabourn Venture, at the T. Mariotti shipyard in Genoa, Italy.

The launch ceremony is an enduring maritime tradition that calls for a “madrina” to preside over the celebratory events.

Serving in this significant role was Jarda Versloot-West, Seabourn’s senior manager of Expedition staffing, who first joined Seabourn nearly a decade ago for the brand’s maiden voyage to Antarctica.

She was joined by Seabourn President Josh Leibowitz and T. Mariotti Shipyard Managing Director Marco Ghiglione.

During the ceremony, a bottle of celebratory Champagne broke against the hull to commemorate the milestone. The ship will now move from its drydock to its outfitting dock at the shipyard, where it will undergo final construction until the ship is delivered.

“This ceremony carries on a rich shipbuilding tradition, representing a significant step toward the launch of our first purpose-built ultra-luxury expedition ship,” said Leibowitz. “I receive notes from guests and partners across the travel industry on a regular basis, who eagerly await the arrival of this beautiful, very capable ship that will take them to places many people dream of visiting one day.”

“After the steel cutting and keel laying, we are all here to celebrate another important milestone before the final completion of Seabourn Venture,” said Ghiglione. “The dedication of all people involved in the construction is a matter of pride for T. Mariotti, and we are absolutely sure that we are building something special: a unique ship that will be the top in the luxury cruise expedition market.”

A traditional coin ceremony for the ship was held on July 13, where Versloot-West welded a commemorative coin to the ship structure.