Chilean polar cruise operator Antarctica21 has announced that its newbuild vessel Magellan Discoverer is nearing completion at the ASENAV yard in Valdivia, Chile, with arrival in Punta Arenas planned for 25 Oct 2026. A previously announced delivery date of 30 September had not been publicly confirmed at the time of reporting. The company expects to hold a naming ceremony in November before beginning revenue operations in Antarctica in December. A sister ship to the 2019-built Magellan Explorer, Magellan Discoverer has a length overall of 94 metres and carries up to 88 passengers on Antarctic fly-cruises or 96 on conventional voyages, supported by 67 crew and expedition staff. The vessel holds a PC6 polar classification and a reported open-water cruising speed of 14 knots. Its propulsion combines two 1,800 kW diesel engines with batteries, an ABB DC electrical grid and Azipod units, a configuration intended to improve energy efficiency, cut underwater noise and allow limited battery-powered operation. The ship also features heat-recovery equipment, Tier III emissions controls, wet and dry science laboratories, and cabins with private balconies. Antarctica21 describes the vessel as the first hybrid-electric polar expedition cruise ship built in the Americas, though it has not released independently verified fuel-consumption or per-passenger emissions data. The new ship will expand capacity for the company's fly-cruise programme between Punta Arenas and King George Island, which bypasses the Drake Passage crossing. Co-founder Jaime Vásquez said the 2026–2027 season would include 46 voyages and 300 nights in polar waters, though the published schedule lists 36 air-cruises and 8 sea voyages, totalling 44 departures.