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ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION VESSEL - "The MV Polar Star"
 M/V Polar Star was built in Finland in 1969, and joined the Swedish Maritime Administration's fleet of icebreakers with the name of NJORD. She went through major rebuilding and modernization in 1988 and 2001, and served as a working icebreaker in the Baltic until Karlsen Shipping, Halifax, NS bought her in April 2000, and renamed her POLAR STAR, after one of the veteran ships that had served Karlsen's Arctic cruise program.
The M/V Polar Star is in excellent condition and has had an extensive conversion to an expedition vessel capable of carrying 98 passengers. She is classed and certified for world-wide international voyages, complying with the latest SOLAS and IMF regulations for safety and environment.
M/V Polar Star is the first icebreaker to be fully converted for expedition cruising, and ranks high among the world’s fleet of Arctic and Antarctic expedition ships. She has capacity for 98 passengers in 46 cabins, all with private facilities, and a further 5 cabins with shared facilities. The ship has a comfortable dining hall, a large panoramic lounge, a lecture room, and a well-stocked library.
Strict operational procedures and safety precautions are adhered to at all times. All our activities comply with the Guidelines for Visitors to the Antarctic, contained in Recommendation XVIII-1 of the Antarctic Treaty. In both the Arctic and Antarctica, we are careful to take only photographs, and leave only footprints!
Polar Star specifications:
Class: Ice Class 1A
Length: 86.5 m
Beam: 21.2 m
Tonnage: 3500 GRT
Main Engine: Diesel Electric (12,000 HP)
Cruising Speed: 11 knots
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