View source for Engineering:Greg Mortimer (ship)

{{short description|Cruise ship}}
{{missing information|the events in May 2020 regarding crewmen evacuation and cruise return to Canary Islands|date=June 2020}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = Greg Mortimer_IMO 9834648_P_Antarctica_03-01-2020.jpg
| Ship caption = ''Greg Mortimer'' off Antarctica in 2020
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header = 
| Ship country =Bahamas 
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Bahamas}}
| Ship name = ''Greg Mortimer''
| Ship owner = SunStone Ships 
| Ship class = Infinity
| Ship operator = Aurora Expeditions
| Ship registry = 
| Ship route = 
| Ship ordered = 
| Ship builder = China Merchants Heavy Industry, Jiangsu, China
| Ship original cost = 
| Ship yard number = Hull No. CMHI-196-1
| Ship way number = 
| Ship laid down = 12 June 2018
| Ship launched = 12 March 2019
| Ship christened = 6 September 2019
| Ship completed = 
| Ship acquired = 
| Ship maiden voyage = 
| Ship in service = 
| Ship out of service = 
| Ship identification = *{{IMO number|9834648}}
*{{MMSI|311000866}}
*Call sign: C6ED7
| Ship fate = 
| Ship status = In service
| Ship notes = 
| Ship namesake = Greg Mortimer
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship class = {{Sclass|Infinity|cruise ship}} 
| Ship displacement = 
| Ship length = {{convert|104.4|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam = {{convert|18.4|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship height = 
| Ship draught = 
| Ship draft = {{convert|5.3|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship depth = 
| Ship decks = 8
| Ship deck clearance = 
| Ship ramps = 
| Ship ice class = PC6, Polar Category: B
| Ship power = 
| Ship propulsion = 2 x Ingeteam
| Ship speed = {{convert|12|kn}}
| Ship capacity = 126
| Ship crew = 
| Ship notes = TECHNICAL MANAGER: Cruise Management International, Inc.
}}
|}

'''''Greg Mortimer''''' is a [[Engineering:Cruise ship|cruise ship]] operated by Aurora Expeditions. The ship was named in honour of the company's founder Greg Mortimer, in a combined naming and delivery ceremony at CMHI's Haimen base on 6 September 2019.

== Design and description ==
The ship one of seven ''Infinity''-class vessels built by SunStone Ships. It is a {{convert|104|m|ftin|adj=on|abbr=on}} expedition ship with a state of the art [[Engineering:Inverted bow|x-bow]] design which has a piercing effect on smaller waves, making for a smoother ride. It has 80 cabins.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.polarroutes.co.uk/cruises/aurora-expeditions/greg-mortimer/ |title=Greg Mortimer |work=polarroutes.co.uk |access-date=8 April 2020}}</ref>

== Construction and career ==
The ship was named after the Australian mountaineer, polar explorer and founder of Aurora Expeditions, Greg Mortimer.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110601223258/http://www.abc.net.au/tv/talkingheads/txt/s2698247.htm |archive-date= 1 June 2011 |title= Greg Mortimer|website= Talking Heads with Peter Morrison|publisher= ABC |url= http://www.abc.net.au/tv/talkingheads/txt/s2698247.htm |date= 5 October 2009 |access-date=8 April 2020}}</ref> Mortimer arguably became best known as one of the first two Australians (with Tim Macartney-Snape) to successfully climb [[Earth:Mount Everest|Mount Everest]], on 3 October 1984.<ref>{{cite book |title= White Limbo: The First Australian Climb of Mt Everest |year= 1985 |first= Lincoln |last= Hall |first2= Kevin |last2= Weldon |name-list-style= amp |location= Sydney, Australia}}</ref>

===COVID-19 pandemic===
On 7 April 2020, the cruise ship, which holds up to 216 passengers,<ref>
Compare:
{{cite web |url= https://www.auroraexpeditions.com.au/ship/greg-mortimer/ |title= ''Greg Mortimer'' Expedition Ship Features |year= 2020 |publisher= Aurora Expeditions |access-date= 2020-04-12 |quote= Accommodating an average of 126 passengers per voyage, the ''Greg Mortimer'' has redefined expedition cruising for the future. }}</ref> became stranded in South American waters, asking for help after people exhibited symptoms such as fever, which prompted authorities to ban them from disembarking.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.sbs.com.au/news/greg-mortimer-81-people-test-positive-for-covid-19-on-australian-cruise-ship-off-uruguay |title= Greg Mortimer: 81 people test positive for COVID-19 on Australian cruise ship off Uruguay |work=SBS News |last=Blakkarly |first=Jarni |date=6 April 2020 |access-date=8 April 2020}}</ref> Uruguay was the only country which allowed the cruise ship to dock, after Uruguayan medical teams boarded the cruise ship to test passengers on 1 April, 81 people tested positive for [[Medicine:COVID-19|COVID-19]]. Six people found seriously ill with [[Biology:Coronavirus|coronavirus]] were evacuated and transferred to a hospital in [[Place:Montevideo|Montevideo]].<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.smh.com.au/national/more-than-80-passengers-on-board-greg-mortimer-cruise-ship-test-positive-for-covid-19-20200406-p54hk4.html |title= More than 80 passengers on board Greg Mortimer cruise ship test positive for COVID-19 |work= The Sydney Morning Herald |last= Noyes |first= Jenny |date=6 April 2020 |access-date= 8 April 2020}}</ref>

The ship received permission to dock and Uruguayan authorities arranged an evacuation flight to Australia and New Zealand. By that time 128 persons on the vessel had tested positive for COVID-19. Six had transferred to a hospital in Montevideo. Passengers from Europe and America who had positive tests would not be allowed to travel to their home countries until their subsequent tests indicated negative results.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/07/americas/greg-mortimer-cruise-ship-coronavirus-intl-hnk/index.html |title= Passengers to be evacuated from Antarctic cruise ship after almost 60% test positive for coronavirus |date= 8 April 2020 |work= CNN |last= Griffiths |first= James |last2= Castillo |first2= Jackie |name-list-style= amp |access-date= 8 April 2020 }}</ref> On the night of 10 April some passengers were evacuated in order to fly to Australia.<ref>
{{cite web |url= https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/04/10/world/americas/ap-lt-virus-outbreak-uruguay-cruise-ship.html |title= Uruguay Evacuates 112 Australians, New Zealanders From Ship |date=10 April 2020 |newspaper= {{wipe|The New York Times}} }}</ref> On 18 April, a 52-year-old Filipino crewman died of the coronavirus.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.radyotodo.ph/aklan-news/2020/04/18/aklanon-seaman-namatay-sa-covid-19/|title=AKLANON SEAMAN, NAMATAY SA COVID-19|publisher=Radyo Todo|date=18 April 2020}}</ref>

===Repairs and substitution===
In July 2023 the ''Greg Mortimer'' suffered propeller damage, and was placed in dry dock for repairs. While under repair, Aurora substituted a similar ''Infinity''-class ship, the ''Ocean Explorer''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2023/07/ocean-explorer-chartered-to-aurora-expeditions/|title= Ocean Explorer Chartered to Aurora Expeditions|publisher=Cruise Industry News|date=19 July 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.faergelejet.dk/faerge.php?id=4934&n=1 ''Greg Mortimer'' at Faergelejet.dk]
*[https://www.sunstoneships.com/mv-greg-mortimer.html ''Greg Mortimer'' at SunStoneShips.com]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Greg Mortimer}}
[[Category:Cruise ships]]

{{Sourceattribution|Greg Mortimer (ship)}}