MV Hondius

MV Hondius is a Dutch expedition cruise ship owned and operated by Oceanwide Expeditions. Built by Brodosplit in Split, Croatia, the vessel entered service in 2019 as the first newly constructed ship commissioned by Oceanwide Expeditions, which had previously relied on chartered or converted second-hand vessels. The ship was named after Jodocus Hondius, the Flemish cartographer. Hondius was designed specifically for expedition cruising in polar waters rather than for the amenities and scale associated with large mainstream cruise ships. Its hull and propulsion arrangements are strengthened to Polar Class 6 standards, a classification intended for summer and autumn navigation in medium first-year ice, including areas containing inclusions of older ice. Oceanwide Expeditions describes the vessel as the first registered Polar Class 6 ice-strengthened cruise ship. The vessel is 107.6 metres long, has a beam of 17.6 metres, and has a gross tonnage of 6,603. It can carry up to 170 passengers in 80 outside cabins, ranging from four-berth accommodation to grand suites with private balconies. Its public areas include a dining room, lecture room, observation lounge, two gangways, and an indoor platform for launching and recovering Zodiac inflatable boats. A typical operating complement includes 57 crew members, 13 expedition guides, and a doctor. Hondius's operating model centres on small-group expedition travel, lectures, wildlife observation, landings, and activity-based shore excursions. Its polar itineraries are supported by Zodiacs and by the ship's ice-strengthened construction. The ship has a service speed of approximately 15 knots and uses two medium-speed diesel engines driving a single controllable-pitch propeller. Bow and stern transverse thrusters assist port manoeuvring and help the vessel maintain position during excursions without anchoring on the seabed. The ship began its first excursion to Spitsbergen in June 2019. In December of that year, it participated in the search for a Chilean Air Force C-130 aircraft that had disappeared from radar, reportedly being the closest vessel to the aircraft's last known position. Its construction also established the Hondius design as an important platform within Oceanwide Expeditions' fleet strategy. On delivery day, the company signed a contract for a sister ship, later named Janssonius. In March 2026, Oceanwide Expeditions announced a letter of intent concerning two further Hondius-class vessels planned for delivery in 2029 and 2030. The proposed ships are described as an evolution of the design, with additional sustainability features and hybrid sail propulsion. In May 2026, Hondius also received extensive news coverage after reports of hantavirus infections among passengers and crew. The vessel was isolated, later reached Tenerife, and subsequently returned to Rotterdam, where people on board were quarantined and the ship was disinfected. The reported outbreak is a significant operational and public-health event in the ship's history, although the available reference material presents differing accounts of the number of infections and fatalities.

MV Hondius was ordered by Oceanwide Expeditions in late 2016 as an ice-strengthened expedition vessel for polar operations. The order was placed with Brodosplit, a shipbuilder based in Split, Croatia. The project represented a change in Oceanwide's fleet development approach: rather than acquiring or converting an existing vessel, the company commissioned a new ship designed from the outset for expedition cruising in icy waters. The ship was named after Jodocus Hondius, a Flemish cartographer. Construction began with steel cutting on 22 August 2017. The keel was laid on 11 December 2017, and the vessel was launched on 10 June 2018. Brodosplit delivered the completed ship on 22 May 2019. On the same day, Oceanwide Expeditions entered into a new agreement with the yard for a sister ship, subsequently known as Janssonius. This made Hondius the foundation of a recognizable vessel class within the operator's fleet. Hondius entered operational service in 2019 and undertook its first excursion to Spitsbergen in June. Its design combines relatively compact passenger capacity with equipment intended for frequent landings and ship-to-shore activity. The vessel carries up to 170 passengers in 80 outside cabins and provides lecture and observation spaces that support the educational and natural-history orientation of expedition cruising. Two gangways and an indoor Zodiac embarkation platform facilitate transfers in remote destinations, while a crew, guide, and medical complement supports the expedition format. The vessel's technical configuration reflects its intended operating environment. It has a Polar Class 6 ice-strengthened hull and propulsion system, a classification suited to summer and autumn operation in medium first-year ice with possible old-ice inclusions. Two 2,130-kilowatt Anglo Belgian Corporation diesel engines drive a single controllable-pitch propeller. A shaft generator and two auxiliary diesel generators provide electrical power, while bow and stern transverse thrusters support manoeuvring and station keeping. These capabilities allow the ship to approach polar landing sites and operate in conditions that would be unsuitable for many conventional cruise vessels, although the ship's classification does not make it an unrestricted icebreaker. In December 2019, Hondius became involved in the search for a Chilean Air Force C-130 aircraft that had disappeared while flying over the Drake Passage area. It was reported to be the nearest ship to the aircraft's last radar position and participated in the resulting search effort. The incident demonstrated how expedition vessels can contribute to maritime search-and-rescue activity in remote regions, in addition to their commercial role. Oceanwide Expeditions continued to use Hondius primarily for Arctic and Antarctic expedition itineraries. The product is differentiated from mainstream cruising through smaller passenger numbers, guided landings, Zodiac operations, wildlife observation, lectures, and access to remote polar environments. The ship's accommodation and public spaces are functional and expedition-oriented, although the vessel includes higher-end suites and balcony cabins for travellers seeking greater comfort. In March 2026, Oceanwide Expeditions signed a letter of intent covering two additional Hondius-class vessels. These proposed ships were described as a further development of the design, with sustainability-oriented additions and hybrid sail propulsion. Their intended launch dates were 2029 and 2030, indicating a longer-term effort to extend the class and incorporate lower-impact propulsion concepts into the operator's fleet. Hondius was the subject of substantial public-health reporting in 2026 after hantavirus infections were reported among people aboard the vessel. The ship was placed under isolation and anchored off the Cape Verde Islands in early May, with passengers reportedly unable to disembark. It reached Tenerife on 10 May, after which passengers were flown home, and it arrived in Rotterdam on 18 May. The 27 people aboard were quarantined and the vessel was disinfected. The supplied reference material contains inconsistent accounts of the outbreak's scale, including one report of eleven infections and another describing three deaths and one serious illness; those figures should therefore be treated as requiring verification. The event is nevertheless a notable part of the ship's documented operating history because it affected voyage continuity, passenger movement, and public-health procedures.

• 2026

  Letter of intent for two next-generation sister vessels

  [1]MV Hondiusen.wikipedia.org

  Oceanwide Expeditions announced plans for two further Hondius-class vessels with additional sustainability features and hybrid sail propulsion, targeted for launch in 2029 and 2030.

• 2026

  Hantavirus-related isolation and quarantine

  [1]MV Hondiusen.wikipedia.org

  Following reports of hantavirus infections aboard, Hondius was isolated, routed through Tenerife, returned to Rotterdam, and subjected to quarantine and disinfection procedures.

• 2019

  Delivery and entry into expedition service

  [1]MV Hondiusen.wikipedia.org

  Brodosplit delivered Hondius on 22 May. The vessel undertook its first excursion to Spitsbergen in June.

• 2019

  Search operation for missing C-130

  [1]MV Hondiusen.wikipedia.org

  Hondius participated in the search for a missing Chilean Air Force C-130 and was reported to be the closest ship to the aircraft's last radar position.

• 2018

  Hondius is launched

  [1]MV Hondiusen.wikipedia.org

  The vessel was launched at Brodosplit on 10 June.

• 2017

  Steel cutting and keel laying

  [1]MV Hondiusen.wikipedia.org

  Steel cutting took place on 22 August, followed by keel laying on 11 December.

• 2016

  Oceanwide orders a purpose-built expedition ship

  [1]MV Hondiusen.wikipedia.org

  Oceanwide Expeditions ordered an ice-strengthened expedition vessel from Brodosplit in Croatia, marking the company's move into newly built rather than chartered or converted expedition tonnage.

A purpose-built, small-capacity polar expedition vessel positioned around ice capability, access to remote destinations, educational programming, and active shore excursions rather than large-ship entertainment or resort-style cruising.

• Polar expedition cruise ship · 2018

  MV Hondius

  Hondius is a 107.6-metre expedition vessel with a gross tonnage of 6,603 and capacity for up to 170 passengers. Its Polar Class 6 ice strengthening, Zodiac embarkation platform, observation and lecture spaces, and compact passenger complement are designed for Arctic and Antarctic voyages involving guided landings, wildlife observation, and educational programming. It has 80 outside cabins across eight categories, including four-berth rooms and grand suites with private balconies.

• Expedition vessel platform

  Hondius-class vessels

  The Hondius design serves as the basis for a class of purpose-built polar expedition vessels associated with Oceanwide Expeditions. The class emphasizes ice-strengthened construction, smaller passenger capacity, frequent Zodiac operations, and spaces for lectures and observation. In 2026, the operator described two planned derivatives with additional sustainability features and hybrid sail propulsion, although those vessels had not yet entered service.

• 2026

  Expansion of the Hondius class with hybrid-sail conceptsStrategy

  Background

  Oceanwide Expeditions sought to extend the vessel platform while adding sustainability-focused technology.

  Action taken

  The operator signed a letter of intent for two vessels based on the Hondius design, with hybrid sail propulsion and planned launches in 2029 and 2030.

  Aftermath

  The proposal indicated a planned expansion of the expedition fleet, but delivery and final specifications remained future matters in the supplied material.

  Source

• 2016

  Commissioning of a purpose-built polar expedition vesselStrategy

  Background

  Oceanwide Expeditions had previously operated chartered or converted second-hand vessels and sought a ship designed specifically for its polar expedition model.

  Action taken

  The company ordered Hondius from Brodosplit with Polar Class 6 ice strengthening and facilities for small-group expedition operations.

  Aftermath

  The order produced Oceanwide's first newly built vessel and established the design that later formed the Hondius class.

  Source

1. 1MV Hondiusen.wikipedia.org