Australian expedition cruise company, Aurora Expeditions, will launch its new vessel in October 2021, named after marine biologist and oceanographer Dr Sylvia Earle.

Launching from Ushuaia, Argentina, the new Sylvia Earle vessel pays tribute to her long-standing conservation efforts for marine protected areas and ocean wildlife.

She was the first woman to become chief scientist of the U.S National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and named by Time Magazine as its first hero of the planet in 1998.

Aurora Expeditions managing director, Robert Halfpenny, said: “We are proud to be working with Sylvia on plans for the new ship. Our ships are designed primarily to connect people with the environment and everything Sylvia does encapsulates what lies at the core of Aurora Expeditions’ own beliefs and practices.

“In keeping with Sylvia’s own vision and achievements, the Sylvia Earle will have a large focus on marine education and conservation.”

Built to world-class polar standards, the 126-passenger ship holds the lowest polluting marine engines in the world, and can deliver up to an 80 per cent reduction in emissions.

It will be the second in the fleet to sail with the patented Ulstein X-Bow; the inverted bow design allow the guests to be much closer to the environment and feature a two-level glass atrium lounge offering views of the front of the ship.

Working in parallel with Greg Mortimer, the Australian mountaineer and founder of Aurora Expeditions, Earle will be channelling her marine-conservation ethos into a fully-immersive on-board guest experience, not only in the Polar regions, but in other destinations.

Activities will play a ‘major’ part in the passenger experience – with expert-led kayak expeditions, Polar ski touring, climbing, snowshoeing, hiking and exploration.

“Ninety-seven per cent of Earth’s water is ocean,” said Dr Sylvia Earle. “It is our life support system and we need to learn everything we can about it. I see great synergy in working closely with a company that shares my vision for the future and which is, from the top down, passionate about the marine environment.

“Through travelling with Aurora Expeditions on the Sylvia Earle, I feel it is an incredible opportunity to connect people with the environment and everything Sylvia does encapsulates what lies at the core of Aurora Expeditions’ own beliefs and practices.”