United Waterways Signs Poseidon Expedition Ship for 2028 Delivery
Ocean Advice was created inside United Waterways in 2022 to manage ocean passenger ships and took over nautical and technical management of MS Seaventure in 2024.
United Waterways and its ocean division, Ocean Advice, have signed a deal for a new expedition ship for Poseidon Expeditions, with delivery from China Merchants scheduled for September 2028. The agreement brings United Waterways’ ocean newbuild program to five vessels that are signed, ordered or in final contractual negotiation under an eight-slot framework.
The Poseidon ship is the first expedition vessel announced for the program, which is intended to extend United Waterways’ white-label management model from river operations into ocean expedition and coastal cruising. Ocean Advice has also ordered one coastal cruise ship and one expedition ship at China Merchants, both due for delivery in 2029.
Eight-slot framework advances with China Merchants
The original framework covers four expedition ships and four coastal cruise ships. With the Poseidon agreement and the two additional China Merchants orders, three vessels now have announced delivery targets. Two further ships are in the final contractual stage.
“What began as a strategic vision is now becoming a tangible fleet with strong partners and significant market interest,” said Mathias Kracht, managing director of Ocean Advice.
Dr. Sascha Gill, CEO of United Waterways, said the speed at which the slots have been taken supports the group’s view that “the market is looking for modern, efficient and sustainable ship solutions.” He said the white-label ocean platform allows partners to focus on their own brands and guests while United Waterways and Ocean Advice handle operations.
How Ocean Advice grew inside United Waterways
United Waterways says it has more than 100 ships under management across river, event and excursion operations. Ocean Advice was created inside the group in 2022 to manage ocean passenger ships, including nautical, technical, hotel and catering services. It took over nautical and technical management of MS Seaventure in 2024.
What United Waterways has not disclosed
Poseidon Expeditions currently presents the M/V Sea Spirit, carrying up to 114 passengers, as its Arctic and Antarctic expedition vessel. United Waterways did not publish the ship’s name, passenger capacity, tonnage, dimensions or planned deployment.
China Merchants’ cruise-shipbuilding operation at Haimen in Jiangsu has been associated with smaller cruise and expedition-type construction and has previously delivered China’s first domestically built polar expedition cruise ship. United Waterways did not specify which China Merchants entity will build the three vessels announced in this round.
The announcement also did not include financial terms for the Poseidon agreement or the two additional orders. United Waterways did not identify prospective customers, vessel categories or delivery windows for the two ships still in final contractual negotiation.
