Seabourn marked another key milestone in the building of its new expedition cruise ship, Seabourn Venture, via the completion of ice model testing for the vessel's ice-strengthened hull. The testing was done at an indoor basin at Aker Arctic (Finland). A vessel rated to PC-6 Polar Class standards is capable of summer and autumn operation in ice conditions in the Arctic, Antarctica, and other exotic destinations.
Visualizing the way ice may behave in relation to the hull is a major part of the build and design process for vessels that will routinely operate in areas where ice is common. During the testing, a scale model mock-up of the cruise ship’s hull is connected to a test carriage where operational and maneuvering tests can be conducted while Seabourn team members look on through viewing windows.
The keel laying for Seabourn's Venture will take place in December 2019. The cruise ship is scheduled to launch in June 2021. A second yet-unnamed sistership is slated to launch in May 2022 (TBN).