Building the Douglas Mawson: Interview with Sunstone Ship Management

The launch of the Douglas Mawson marks an exciting new chapter in expedition cruising, combining cutting-edge shipbuilding with a deep commitment to sustainability, exploration, and passenger experience. Purpose-built to navigate some of the world’s most remote and breathtaking destinations. Designed with both adventure and comfort in mind, the Douglas Mawson is a testament to what’s possible when innovation meets a passion for discovery.

To give you an insider’s perspective on what it takes to bring a ship like this to life, we spoke with John Kafouros of SunStone Ship Management. From the initial design stages to the ship’s maiden voyage, John shares the intricate process of building a vessel that’s ready to tackle polar extremes, foster meaningful connections with nature, and redefine the expedition cruise experience. Dive into the Q&A below to learn more about the vision, challenges, and innovations behind the Douglas Mawson.

At SunStone, we are involved in all stages of the ship building project. During the design stage,: the hull, structure, and all the technical, safety, and environmental standards are designed and specified by SunStone together with naval architects and designers. Once the construction begins, SunStone is responsible for the supervision of the newbuild project from steel cutting to final delivery. We are essentially building the stage, which allows Aurora’s product and guest experience to shine.

Aurora defines what their travelers want: the expedition style, the balance of comfort and immersion, and the types of activities onboard. That vision guides how spaces are laid out. From there, the design team brings it to life with features like big windows, observation decks, and the right materials to connect people with the places they’re visiting. 

The basics of shipbuilding are the same no matter the size. The big difference is the purpose of the vessel. For expedition ships, everything, from the hull shape to the cabin layout, has to work for small groups traveling to remote, challenging places. Larger cruise ships are built around scale, efficiency, and moving thousands of people at once.

In the vessel’s basic design, we take full account of the remote regions in which we operate. The Infinity-class ships are certified Ice Class and are built for expedition operations in harsh environments. They are fitted with the Safe Return to Port feature, even though at this size it is not always required. This gives the ship redundant systems so that in case of failure the vessel can still make its way to a safe port. Other design elements include the Ulstein X-Bow hull form, virtual anchoring, and zero-speed stabilizers, all contributing to enhanced safety, comfort and capability in remote seas.

With Douglas Mawson, Aurora introduced several new features. One is the addition of more single cabins to welcome solo travelers, which is becoming more popular. We also redesigned the pool allow for additional outdoor lounging, added a fully equipped science lab for citizen science programs, and created more flexible outdoor areas with large awnings. These changes give travelers more choice and comfort while strengthening the ship’s role as both an expedition platform and a community hub.

Aurora is not only a client we build ships for. They are also a long-term charterer, which allows our working relationship to continue after delivery of a ship. We truly value our long-term clients, and working together on several ships has created a strong partnership. We’ve learned how Aurora works, what they value most, and how to deliver that efficiently. This trust means we can move faster, avoid missteps, and focus on what matters most: delivering ships and technical knowhow that match Aurora’s vision and expertise in exceeding passenger expectations.

Adventure & Exploration: We design the ships to go where few others can:, remote and tough environments. The focus is on reliability, maneuverability, and endurance so travelers get a true expedition, not just a cruise. 

Sustainability & Responsibility: From the start, we look for ways to reduce impact. That means energy efficient systems, hull designs that use less fuel, engines ready for cleaner fuels in the future, and technology to cut emissions. We want people to explore the world without leaving a heavy footprint. 

Safety & Comfort: Safety always comes first, and traveling in such remote regions only increases the importance of this. Our ships meet the highest standards, with reinforced hulls and backup systems (SRtP). At the same time, we make sure passengers are comfortable with zero speed stabilizers, smartly designed cabins, and inviting public spaces. 

Bringing It All Together: Every detail,— from the machinery below deck to the view from the lounges,— is chosen to support SunStone’s philosophy of providing real adventure, and a meaningful connection to nature while maintaining 4 key areas of focus: Safety, Comfort, Efficiency, and Environmental consideration.

The biggest changes will be around cleaner, greener technology. New fuels, hybrid systems, and smarter hull shapes will make ships more efficient and reduce emissions. Regulations will keep getting tougher, but that also pushes us to innovate. What excites me most is that these changes will not just meet requirement, but also make exploration more sustainable and open the door to new possibilities.