LNG-powered Le Commandant Charcot delivered to Ponant

Fincantieri’s subsidiary Vard has delivered Le Commandant Charcot polar exploration cruise ship to French cruise company Ponant.

The electric-hybrid exploration vessel propelled with LNG has been developed by Ponant, Stirling Design International, Aker Arctic and Vard. The ship, classified as Polar Class 2, will “fulfill the highest standards for environmentally friendly and safe operations,” said a press release from Fincantieri, adding, “It is the first-ever electric hybrid cruise vessel with ice-breaking technology and dual fuel propulsion, featuring high-capacity batteries and LNG storage on board.”

Le Commandant Charcot is 30,000 gt, 150 m long and 28 m wide. The vessel accommodates 245 passengers in 123 staterooms, in addition to a crew of 235.

Bureau Veritas classed the Ponant icebreaker. Bureau Veritas global market leader passenger ships and ferries Andreas Ullrich told PST, “This is the first time LNG propulsion has been used on a cruise vessel of that size. The other cruise ships to adopt LNG have been large vessels. Ponant has gone one step ahead [in the cruise industry] and has used batteries to demonstrate environmental stewardship and has used LNG and batteries which is a good mix in a transitional period.”