Explora I made its first call to Barcelona, Spain, before the ship’s first commercial sailing from Copenhagen, Denmark.
According to maritime tradition, an exchange of coats of arms took place on board the ship in honor of the first visit to the destination. In attendance were Michael Ungerer, CEO of Explora Journeys, as well as representatives from the local port.
“Barcelona is one of the most important ports in the western Mediterranean, and we are honored to finally showcase our highly anticipated, extraordinary new ship, Explora I,” said Ungerer.
We have pushed the boundaries of innovation and design to create a ship that embodies our commitment to excellence. We are pleased to present our ship today in Barcelona, offering a taste of what Explora Journey has to offer to its guests.”
Delivered last week by Fincantieri in Italy, the Explora I will begin its seven-day maiden voyage to Reykjavik, Iceland on August 1, departing Copenhagen. Along the way, the ship will call at Lerwick, Shetland Islands, and Kirkwall, Orkney Islands.
Luis Salvado, President of the Port of Barcelona, said: “The commissioning of ships such as Explora I is of strategic importance for Barcelona and the maritime sector as a whole. Introducing sustainability innovations to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 90 percent, as well as onshore electricity connection equipment, eliminating berth emissions, is important for ports and the cities they are in, as it shows how the sector is working to achieve clean maritime activities. And it is also an example of the success of the strategy we are following at the Port of Barcelona to make the necessary infrastructure available to ships to make this zero-emissions future a reality.”
