Greg_Mortimer_(ship)
Greg Mortimer (ship)
Cruise ship
Greg Mortimer is a cruise ship operated by Aurora Expeditions. The ship was named in honour of the company's founder Greg Mortimer, in a combined naming and delivery ceremony at CMHI's Haimen base on 6 September 2019.
 | This article is missing information about the events in May 2020 regarding crewmen evacuation and cruise return to Canary Islands. (June 2020) |
 Greg Mortimer off Antarctica in 2020 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Bahamas | |
| Name | Greg Mortimer |
| Namesake | Greg Mortimer |
| Owner | SunStone Ships |
| Operator | Aurora Expeditions |
| Builder | China Merchants Heavy Industry, Jiangsu, China |
| Yard number | Hull No. CMHI-196-1 |
| Laid down | 12 June 2018 |
| Launched | 12 March 2019 |
| Christened | 6 September 2019 |
| Identification |
|
| Status | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Infinity-class cruise ship |
| Tonnage | 7,892 GT |
| Length | 104.4 m (343 ft) |
| Beam | 18.4 m (60 ft) |
| Draft | 5.3 m (17 ft) |
| Decks | 8 |
| Ice class | PC6, Polar Category: B |
| Propulsion | 2 x Ingeteam |
| Speed | 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Capacity | 126 |
| Notes | TECHNICAL MANAGER: Cruise Management International, Inc. |
The ship one of seven Infinity-class vessels built by SunStone Ships. It is a 104 m (341 ft 2 in) expedition ship with a state of the art x-bow design which has a piercing effect on smaller waves, making for a smoother ride. It has 80 cabins.[1]
The ship was named after the Australian mountaineer, polar explorer and founder of Aurora Expeditions, Greg Mortimer.[2] Mortimer arguably became best known as one of the first two Australians (with Tim Macartney-Snape) to successfully climb Mount Everest, on 3 October 1984.[3]
COVID-19 pandemic
On 7 April 2020, the cruise ship, which holds up to 216 passengers,[4] became stranded in South American waters, asking for help after people exhibited symptoms such as fever, which prompted authorities to ban them from disembarking.[5] Uruguay was the only country which allowed the cruise ship to dock, after Uruguayan medical teams boarded the cruise ship to test passengers on 1 April, 81 people tested positive for COVID-19. Six people found seriously ill with coronavirus were evacuated and transferred to a hospital in Montevideo.[6]
The ship received permission to dock and Uruguayan authorities arranged an evacuation flight to Australia and New Zealand. By that time 128 persons on the vessel had tested positive for COVID-19. Six had transferred to a hospital in Montevideo. Passengers from Europe and America who had positive tests would not be allowed to travel to their home countries until their subsequent tests indicated negative results.[7] On the night of 10 April some passengers were evacuated in order to fly to Australia.[8] On 18 April, a 52-year-old Filipino crewman died of the coronavirus.[9]
Repairs and substitution
In July 2023 the Greg Mortimer suffered propeller damage, and was placed in dry dock for repairs. While under repair, Aurora substituted a similar Infinity-class ship, the Ocean Explorer.[10]
- "Greg Mortimer". polarroutes.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- "Greg Mortimer". Talking Heads with Peter Morrison. ABC. 5 October 2009. Archived from the original on 1 June 2011. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- Compare: "Greg Mortimer Expedition Ship Features". Aurora Expeditions. 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
Accommodating an average of 126 passengers per voyage, the Greg Mortimer has redefined expedition cruising for the future.
- Blakkarly, Jarni (6 April 2020). "Greg Mortimer: 81 people test positive for COVID-19 on Australian cruise ship off Uruguay". SBS News. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- Noyes, Jenny (6 April 2020). "More than 80 passengers on board Greg Mortimer cruise ship test positive for COVID-19". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- Griffiths, James & Castillo, Jackie (8 April 2020). "Passengers to be evacuated from Antarctic cruise ship after almost 60% test positive for coronavirus". CNN. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- "AKLANON SEAMAN, NAMATAY SA COVID-19". Radyo Todo. 18 April 2020.
- "Ocean Explorer Chartered to Aurora Expeditions". Cruise Industry News. 19 July 2023.