Hutchison Ports Harwich International has welcomed the first call of the MS Maud, the polar cruise vessel operated by Norwegian company Hurtigruten Group.

In a statement, the port operator in the UK said the ship was named after one of the most famous polar vessels of all time, the original “Maud” took explorer Roald Amundsen on his second expedition to the Arctic in 1917.

Returning from a 14-night cruise of Norway during which time it visited the Arctic Circle, the MS Maud was in port at the same time as the British Antarctic Survey’s new vessel, the RRS Sir David Attenborough. 

“We are delighted to welcome the MS Maud on its first call to Harwich International and we look forward to many future visits. Having the RSS Sir David Attenborough in port at the same time provides a nice moment of symmetry – one regular Arctic visitor and one ship about to sail on its first voyage to the Antarctic. Both are extraordinary vessels that will have the privilege to visit some of the remotest parts of the planet,” commented 

Chris Lewis, chief executive officer of Hutchison Ports UK, owners of Harwich International.

The Sir David Attenborough will be in Harwich until October 27 when it sails to London to become the centre point of the British Antarctic Survey’s showcase of polar environmental science, engineering and technology, to coincide with the UN COP26 climate talks in Glasgow.

Hutchison Ports Harwich noted that the MS Maud is powered by environmentally certified Biofuel, made from waste produced from industries such as fishing, and mixed with marine gasoil, to reduce Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxides and Sulphur Oxides emissions.

It called at Stavanger, Ålesund, Brønnøysund, Reine, Svolvær, Tromsø, Honningsvåg, Finnsnes, Kristiansund, Molde and Bergen before arriving at Harwich International and its meeting with the Sir David Attenborough.