The private residential cruise ship MS The World broke the record for the most southerly navigation reaching 78°43•997´S and 163°41•421´W at Bay of Whales in Ross Sea, Antarctica.
Carrying 145 guests and residents and 272 crew, the unique vessel claims the record for cruising the furthest south any ship has ever sailed. The World achieved the record at 10:41 hrs ship time (New Zealand time) January 28, 2017.
MS The World is a 43,188 GT private yacht that is under command of Capt. Dag H.Saevik. Currently, the vessel is undertaking a 22-day expedition of Ross Sea, including 12 days in Antarctica assisted by EYOS Expeditions led by Rob McCallum. Setting sail out of Hobart, the trip includes 12 days in Antarctica, timed to coincide with Antarctic summer peak.
Commenting on achieving the record, Saevik shared:
“When we designed this remarkable expedition to the Ross Sea with our residents, that has taken two years of preparation, we hoped that with the right conditions we might be able to reach the ice shelf and set a new record for the most southerly navigation. This voyage of more than 5,000 nautical miles has taken us to the most isolated area of the world.
“Explorers like Amundsen, Shackleton and Scott have always been driven to explore the furthest boundaries. However, not many people get to travel to the end of the earth from their own home.”
Few ships have made the voyage to this remote part of Antarctica. Akademik Shokalskiy, Heritage Expeditions’ Polar Class Expedition Vessel reported reaching 78°43.971’S in February 2016.