The MV Hondius: Inside the Polar Expedition Ship at the Centre of the Outbreak
Built in 2019 as the world's first registered Polar Class 6 vessel, the Hondius normally carries researchers and tourists to Antarctica and Svalbard.
A purpose-built polar expedition ship
The MV Hondius is a Dutch-flagged expedition cruise vessel operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, headquartered in Vlissingen, Netherlands. Built in 2019, it was the first vessel in the world registered as Polar Class 6, meeting the highest Lloyd's Register standards for ice-strengthened cruise ships and exceeding the IMO Polar Code (Oceanwide Expeditions — m/v Hondius).
Key specifications
- Length / beam: 107.6 m / 17.6 m
- Ice class: Polar Class 6
- Maximum passengers: 170 in 83 cabins
- Crew: approximately 72
- Builder: Brodosplit (Croatia) for Oceanwide Expeditions
- Typical itineraries: Antarctica (October–March) and the Arctic (April–September), including Spitsbergen and northeast Greenland
The voyage that became an outbreak
The Hondius departed Ushuaia, Argentina on 20 March 2026, beginning a repositioning voyage from the southern-summer Antarctic season to the northern-summer Arctic season. The route ran via Cape Verde toward the Canary Islands, carrying 147 people from 23 countries — typical for an expedition vessel built around international scientific and tourism clientele (Africa CDC; WHO DON).
Oceanwide Expeditions has issued daily press updates throughout the medical situation (Oceanwide press updates).
Sources: Oceanwide Expeditions, Lloyd's Register, IMO Polar Code documentation, WHO, Africa CDC.
