Exploris-One

The Hamburg-based Nordic Group has won the bid at auction for the 'Exploris One'. The previous owner, the French shipping company Exploris Expeditions, filed for bankruptcy in the fall of 2025, and the ship was subsequently auctioned off. The vessel changed hands for just 4.5 million euros. Exploris Expeditions had acquired the 'Exploris One' from Silversea Cruises in 2023. The new company's first voyage began on Dec 23, 2023, in Valparaiso. The ship is the former 'Silver Explorer', also known as the 'Prince Albert II', which sailed for Silversea Cruises from 2007 to 2011 and before as 'Delphin Clipper', 'Sally Clipper', 'Baltic Clipper', 'Delfin Star', 'Dream 21', 'World Discoverer' and 'World Adventurer'. Exploris Expeditions had originally planned to build two more expedition cruise ships in addition to the 'Exploris One'. However, it ceased operations on Nov 7, 2025. Prior to this, in Oct 2025, the company had already been placed under receivership in France due to payment difficulties. Most recently, the ship was laid up in Caen with a minimal crew. The Nordic Groujp has acquired the expedition cruise ship at a forced auction on Jan 30, 2026, after an initial attempt to sell or auction it in Nov 2025 apparently failed despite several interested parties. The conditions were likely too stringent. The buyer would have had to take immediate possession of the ship and pay all costs associated with its lay-up, such as crew salaries, port fees, and fuel. The Nordic Group had only acquired the expedition cruise companies Albatros Expeditions and Polar Latitudes at the end of 2025 and consolidated them under the new brand Polar Latitudes Expeditions. The Australian expedition cruise operator Chimu also belongs to Nordic. Its fleet consists of the 'Ocean Albatros' and the 'Ocean Nova', as well as the chartered 'Ocean Victory'. The 'Seaventure' (formerly the 'Bremen'), which was originally chartered for several years, has been sold to China and will no longer be available to Polar Latitudes from 2026 onward.

The "Exploris One," belonging to the recently liquidated French shipping company Exploris, has been put up for auction. The sale of this expedition vessel has been scheduled for Jan 30, 2026. It had arrived at the Calix quay in the port of Caen on Nov 10, 2025, before the company was definitively liquidated by the Nantes court. It was to be auctioned by the auction house Ouest Enchères Publiques. Report with photo: https://lemarin.ouest-france.fr/shipping/apres-la-liquidation-de-son-armement-le-navire-de-croisiere-exploris-one-sera-vendu-aux-encheres-fin-janvier-63f71ae0-efd1-11f0-ae78-1a0629cc1f87

The 'Exploris One', formerly sailing as 'Silver Explorer', has been out up for sale in Caen as part of the liquidation of Exploris Expeditions & Cruises. The ship departed from Las Palmas on Nov 10, 2025, and arrived in the port of Caen on Nov 16 to be decommissioned. A small crew will remain on board to ensure safety and allow potential buyers to view the vessel. After the Canadian tour operator that was to charter the ship for the next three years unexpectedly cancelled its plans, Exploris Expeditions & Cruises faced financial difficulties and was placed under court administration on Sep 29. One month later, the Nantes Commercial Court, where the company is headquartered, ordered its liquidation. The final cessation of operations, originally scheduled for Nov 7, was postponed to Nov 12, allowing for the repatriation of the 'Exploris One' to Caen. The legal proceedings have commenced. On Nov 10, the tender for the purchase of the vessel was published. The proceeds from the sale were intended to be used to settle Exploris's debts. Interested bidders had until Nov 16 to submit their applications and, starting on Nov 7, to inspect the vessel and submit a bid based on their impressions.

Staff of the Port Authority of Bahía Fildes carried out the coordination and support tasks for the medevac of a 71-year-old female passenger, a United States national, who suffered an accident aboard the “Silver Explorer” on Jan 22, 2022. The right leg was fractured while she was on ​​Greenwich Island. The disembarkation of the victim took place in Bahía Fildes, together with her spouse, supported by a rubber boat from the Port Authority of Bahía Fildes to the Antarctic Scientific Base "Bellingshausen" where her health condition was reassessed by a doctor from the Magallanes Clinic, supported by a Naval Nurse specialist from the Port Authority of Bahía Fildes. She was then transferred with an aircraft to the city of Punta Arenas. Report with photos: https://www.directemar.cl/directemar/noticias-y-comunicaciones/noticias/2022/armada-apoyo-evacuacion-medica-de-pasajera-accidentada-en-crucero

The Philippine crew member of the 'Silver Explorer' who disembarked in the bay of Valparaíso for being in a serious state of health, remained serious and stable in a clinic in the region. The 'Silver Explorer' contributed 21 cases of Covid-19 to the Los Lagos Region and was the first cruise ship to give a positive case of coronavirus on this type of vessel in Chile. After spending about two weeks in the Los Lagos Region, the ship arrived in Valparaíso bay on March 31, where it landed two Chilean passengers under the highest security protocols. In the regional capital, the ship also stocked up on groceries, supplies, medicines and oil.

A 85-year-old man had viral symptoms when he boarded the "Silver Explorer" in the city of Caleta Tortel, located over 2,000 kilometers from the capital Santiago, on March 14, 2020. The man was then transferred to a hospital where he was tested positive for the croona virus. The ship was quarantined off the port of Castro. The British citizen was in good condition. 99 passengers were evacuated to their respective countries in the night of March 17 and transferred directly to El Tepual airport, in the capital of the Los Lagos region, where they boarded three charter flights to the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States. This process was carried out without problems in collaboration with Onemi, Carabineros, the Air Force and health personnel from the area. Meanwhile, five foreign citizens, who were in isolation due to Coronavirus at the Puerto Montt hospital, were discharged on March 15 for which reason they were now carrying out the proper quarantine in designated places.