Oceanwide Expeditions has completed two maintenance and upgrade projects on the Ortelius, improving the vessel’s operational speed and increasing fuel efficiency, the company said in a press release.

The fitting of new propeller blades and hull blasting forms part of an ongoing investment into the expedition fleet as part of a broader ESG and sustainability strategy.

The company said that during a drydock in September, four new bronze propeller blades were built and fitted by Dutch Propeller Repairs BV (DPR), replacing existing stainless steel propeller blades that had been in place for several decades.

And previously, during a May drydock, hull blasting was performed on the Ortelius’s hull, removing accumulated paint layers and re-establishing a smoother, more consistent hull surface.

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