The boutique vessel joins Antarctica21's fleet as the company's newest high-end Antarctic air-cruise offering, and its most responsible, with hybrid-electric propulsion designed for quieter, lower-impact exploration.
Antarctica21, the pioneer of the Antarctic air-cruise, officially welcomed the new Magellan Discoverer into its boutique fleet at a christening ceremony on Friday, Nov. 6, in Punta Arenas, the Chilean gateway to the White Continent. Magellan Discoverer's first Antarctic air-cruise is set to begin on Dec. 15, 2026.
Magellan Discoverer is the newest evolution of the intimate, small-ship format that has defined Antarctica21 since 2003. Every one of its 40 staterooms opens onto a private balcony. The dining room seats all guests at a single sitting, serving Chilean-inspired cuisine and premium Chilean wines. A 360-degree walking deck, an accessible bow, and a sauna with wide windows bring guests closer to the landscape. Interiors by Tomas Tillberg Design are contemporary, warm, and refined, in the spirit of Explorers House, the company's private expedition center in Punta Arenas. And with a maximum of 88 guests on Antarctic air-cruises and an expedition team and crew of 67, the ship preserves the boutique scale, flexibility, and personalized experience that larger vessels cannot match.
The ship is also a milestone for lower-impact Antarctic travel. Magellan Discoverer is the first hybrid-electric vessel with azimuthal propulsion built in the Americas, designed and built in Chile by ASENAV, the shipyard that delivered Antarctica21’s Magellan Explorer in 2019. Its propulsion system combines an ABB Onboard DC Grid™, two ABB Azipod® units, and a Corvus Energy battery storage system, with a power management system that runs the engines. On battery power, the ship can navigate in near silence and with zero emissions, a capability Antarctica21 plans to use during low-speed transits, approaches to landing sites, and maneuvers when wildlife is nearby. Two MAN main engines fitted with Selective Catalytic Reduction meet the IMO Tier III emission standard, and a recovery system reuses residual heat to warm the interiors of the ship and water on board.
"Antarctica21 was founded on the belief that there had to be a better way to reach and explore Antarctica, and that spirit still drives everything we build," said Verónica Peragallo, CEO of Antarctica21. "Magellan Discoverer is our newest and most refined air-cruise offering, and our most responsible. It carries small groups, a team that knows every guest, and the quietest, cleanest propulsion we have ever put to sea. That is what continuous innovation means to us: a journey that changes how our guests see the world, delivered in a way that protects it."
Peragallo also thanked the hundreds of people at ASENAV, Antarctica21, and partner companies who carried the ship from drawing board to christening.
Magellan Discoverer will start operating alongside Magellan Explorer during the 2026-27 season. Antarctic air-cruises aboard both ships are now available for booking through the 2028-29 season at antarctica21.com. A complete profile of the vessel is at antarctica21.com/dis.
About Antarctica21
Antarctica21 is a boutique expedition company based in Punta Arenas, Chile. In 2003, the company pioneered the Antarctic air-cruise, flying guests over the Drake Passage to board purpose-built expedition vessels in Antarctica. Its fleet includes Magellan Explorer and the new Magellan Discoverer, the Americas’ first hybrid-electric polar cruise vessel. A CarbonNeutral® certified company and a member of IAATO (International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators), Antarctica21 combines small-scale, intimate expeditions with a deep commitment to responsible travel. Learn more at antarctica21.com.