Media Release: Polar Latitudes Announces Strategic Partnership with Nordic Hamburg and Chimu Adventures

We're excited to announce our new operating brands and have them in the Chimu family as we expand our offerings and improve technology in Antarctica together.

New Collaboration Fuels Company Expansion for All Brands. 

October 21, 2024- Polar Latitudes (PL) is thrilled to announce a new strategic partnership with Nordic Hamburg and Chimu Adventures. 

Nordic Hamburg is a leading shipping company with investments in various shipping segments including cruise vessels and maritime services, with a proven track record in ship management, safety, and low emission progress. 

Chimu Adventures is an Australian based company who operate extensive itineraries throughout Latin America and have operated and aggregated in the Antarctica and Arctic space for 20 years. 

This new venture opens the door for Polar Latitudes to expand its offerings to Antarctica travellers by adding pre-and-post-cruise Latin America itineraries. It also allows for fleet expansion and advancements in low emission cruising technology. Additionally, it will enable Polar Latitudes to expand further into the Australian travel market. All of this will pave a clear path to not only continue as a market leader in Antarctica operations, but for PL to grow and innovate in the greater polar space.

“We’ve been searching for the ideal partners to help us expand for more than three years, and now we’ve found them,” says John McKeon, CEO of Polar Latitudes. “On so many levels this new team is going to ensure that Polar Latitudes stays at the forefront of this increasingly competitive marketplace.”

Adds Chad Carey, Chimu Adventures Managing Director, “Directly joining forces with Polar Latitudes and tapping into Nordic Hamburg’s shipping prowess to operate, innovate and sell our combined tour offerings globally simply made sense. We’re all on the same page in terms of creating value-lead experiences to our customers both now and in the future.”

As an immediate result of this collaboration, Polar Latitudes will see its fleet expand with the addition of the expedition ship Ocean Nova. Smaller than the currently operated MV Seaventure, the Ocean Nova will be operated with Polar Latitudes' signature expertise, offering a tailored Antarctic experience designed especially for the classic value focused adventure seeker.

Within the new partnership structure, Polar Latitudes will continue operating as usual under the leadership of its long-term management team of John McKeon (CEO), Erich Graf (COO) and Patrick Shaw (COO), adding Chad Carey (Chimu Adventures Managing Director) to the board of directors. PL’s itineraries throughout the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 Antarctic seasons, aboard the MV Seaventure, will be unaffected by this change. 

ABOUT NORDIC HAMBURG

Founded in 2006, Nordic Hamburg combines long-term experience in maritime project development with extensive operating expertise in ship management. In close cooperation with a strong network of competent partners and investors, Nordic develops maritime projects from innovative newbuilding to attractive second-hand projects in various maritime segments. Nordic is a full-service ship owning company with a strong focus on investment opportunities. From offices in Hamburg, Singapore, Odessa, Manila and Istanbul, Nordic manages a diversified fleet of vessels with about 200 colleagues ashore and about 2000 any given time on board. 

Over the last 10 years Nordic Hamburg investments exceeded 1 billion USD with average returns being double digit for investors. In recent years Nordic has started to invest in expedition and small ship cruising combining Nordic’s financial strength and shipping expertise with leading expedition cruise industry companies. 

To learn more, visit www.nordic-hamburg.com

ABOUT POLAR LATITUDES

Recognized as Best Expedition Cruise Operator 2024 by Expedition Cruise Network (ECN), Polar Latitudes is an established leader in the Antarctica cruise industry, focused on delivering a small ship, highly immersive experience, in an atmosphere of exploration, camaraderie, and shared fun. For over 12 years, Antarctica has been Polar Latitudes’ only destination, and as a result, Polar Latitudes’ deep knowledge of this elusive continent is second to none. 

Polar Latitudes prides themselves on their commitment to supporting critical scientific organizations and research in Antarctic waters, a highly trained expedition team averaging over a dozen years’ experience and being a company that remains founder-owned and operated. Polar Latitudes is a proud member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), the Adventure Travel Trade Association, and a founding member of the Polar Science Collective. 

To learn more, visit www.polar-latitudes.com

ABOUT CHIMU ADVENTURES 

Founded in 2004, Chimu Adventures is the go-to for all Latin America, Antarctica and Arctic travel requirements, from small ship expedition cruises to personalized itineraries, as well as all international and domestic flight and transfer arrangements. Chimu Adventure’s specialized knowledge means they can offer the best options for everything. By using their own operations on the ground to access to an immense range of accommodation and activities that work personally with their traveller's style and budget, Chimu Adventures are able to tailor details to individual traveller’s needs. 

Committed to the destinations in which they operate, Chimu Adventures are proud members of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), the Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO), International Galapagos Tour Operators Association (IGTOA) and Adventure Travel Trade Association. 

To learn more visit www.chimuadventures.com