Press Release

SunStone Completes first series of Infinity Class vessels with Delivery of Douglas Mawson to Aurora Expeditions

September 9, 2025

© Tomas Tillberg Design | Aurora Expeditions

SunStone Maritime Group A/S, the world’s largest tonnage provider to the expedition cruise industry, is pleased to announce the delivery of the seventh and final vessel in this first series of newbuilds, the Douglas Mawson. The delivery took place at China Merchants Heavy Industry in Haimen, China, on September 9th. “We are very pleased with the performance of our Infinity Class, and we are proud to have now delivered seven of these beautiful vessels to the expedition market. Congratulations to Aurora Expeditions on their third Infinity", said Carsten Lund, CEO of SunStone.

Named after Sir Douglas Mawson, the Australian geologist and Antarctic explorer whose work was central to the study of the polar regions, it is the third Infinity vessel to go to Aurora Expeditions, following Greg Mortimer and Sylvia Earle.

The vessel represents an innovative and international collaboration between Norwegian naval architects (Ulstein), Swedish-American interior designers (Tomas Tillberg Design USA), Finnish interior contractors (Makinen), and a Chinese Shipyard (CMHI). The result is an expedition cruise vessel featuring best-in-class safety and comfort, as well as high operational efficiency. Multiple Infinity Class vessels have received awards and notable mentions from media outlets such as Cruise Critic, Forbes, and Magellan Awards from Travel Weekly Magazine.

Measuring 104.40 meters in length, 18.40 meters in width, and with a draft of 5.30 meters, the vessel offers a passenger capacity of 170, supported by a crew capacity of 102. Notably, the vessel is Ice Class 1A and Polar Class 6 certified, allowing it to operate in both warm and cold waters. Douglas Mawson features the X-Bow® by Ulstein Design & Solutions, and is equipped with Safe Return to Port, virtual anchoring, and zero speed stabilizers. The vessel provides a wide range of amenities, including a swimming pool, bar and restaurants, lounges, a boutique, gym, spa, and sauna, all while maintaining an exclusive atmosphere for the guests.