Ponant, the luxury polar expedition specialist, has confirmed the order for the world’s first electric hybrid icebreaker, propelled by Liquefied Natural Gas.
Following a public tender in which top European shipyards took part, Ponant chose Vard, Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri’ s Norwegian subsidiary, to build the vessel, scheduled for delivery in 2021.
How the new Ponant Icebreaker will look when she arrives in 2021
The ship design was created in joint co-operation by Stirling Design International and Aker Arctic.
With just 135 staterooms and luxury service, the innovative vessel will take passengers to never explored polar destinations, such as the true geographic North Pole (90 degrees North Latitude), the Weddell Sea, the Ross Sea and Peter I Island.