Construction of Ponant’s polar exploration vessel, Le Commandant Charcot, has begun with the traditional steel cutting ceremony at the Vard shipyard in Romania.
Delivery of the new flagship, the most ambitious ever designed both in terms of travel experience and respect for the environment, is scheduled for 2021.
The vessel bears the name of the great French explorer, Jean-Baptiste Charcot, whose passion for sailing made him one of the emblematic figures of French polar expeditions.
The choice of name is even more meaningful given that the ship will be fitted with the latest technology for minimising environmental impact, as well as a scientific laboratory to be used by operational and research missions on oceanographic research.
Le Commandant Charcot will incorporate all the latest innovations in environmental protection, making PONANT a world leader in responsible tourism.
Indeed, the electric hybrid vessel, powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), will be the first exploration ship to surpass the ecological standards set out in international regulations.
Designed for intense polar explorations, and with PC2 Polar Class certification, Le Commandant Charcot will push back the boundaries of imagination, by sailing to the Geographic North Pole.
“I am proud to be involved in the inception of a project that marks the culmination of 30 years of effort,“said Jean Emmanuel Sauvée, CEO and co-founder of PONANT.
“Exploring little-known lands and sharing and transmitting our passion for the sea and for nature have always been our driving forces. Our fervent desire is that our passengers, being in daily contact with scientists and experts, and meeting with the local populations, become ambassadors for the protection of these regions.”
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