Vard delives the first hybrid electric cruise icebreaker with LNG propulsion

August 4, 2021

Le Commandant Charcot is a hybrid electric polar exploration ship with ice breaking technology powered by Liquefied Natural Gas.

A Polar Class PC2 ship that includes all the latest ‘green’ technologies, such as 100% waste sorted on board and waste treatment. The ship will be fitted with facilities and equipment for research, providing the scientific world with a platform for observation, research and analysis to study water, air, ice, and biodiversity in extreme polar regions.

Le Commandant Charcot will be sailing in the world’s most remote regions: the Geographic North Pole, Northeast Greenland’s National Park, circumnavigation of the Svalbard archipelago, the Bellingshausen Sea, Charcot and Pierre I Islands, Weddell Sea and the Larsen Ice Shelf.

Flag ceremony

A flag exchange ceremony took place Thursday 29 July at the ship’s helideck.

Vard Ponant 195 A8774 foto Kristin Stoylen

From left: General Manager Business Unit Cruise in VARD Attilio Dapelo, Yard Director Vard Søviknes Arnt Inge Gjerde, New Building Director in PONANT Mathieu PETITEAU, Captain Patrick MARCHESSEAU, and Captain Etienne GARCIA.

Attilio Dapelo, General Manager Business Unit Cruise in VARD says: “The delivery of this amazing vessel is a true evidence of the high technical competence in our engineering and production departments. The technical result is unique; we are proud of the job we have done together, and we wish to thank everyone involved for the dedication and the commitment showed all along this project.”

Arnt Inge Gjerde 2021 Vard AIG 3 B7 A2346 foto Kristin Stoylen

We have built this fantastic ship in the good spirit of VARD with excellent teamwork, dedication and solution-oriented mindset. We are proud to deliver this one-of-a-kind vessel to PONANT, fully tested and tuned for polar explorations.

– Arnt Inge Gjerde, Yard Director Vard Søviknes

Vard Ponant 3 B7 A2739 foto Kristin Stoylen

From left: Yard Director Vard Søviknes Arnt Inge Gjerde, Ship Manager Vard Søviknes Kristian Furnes, Vice President Project Manager in VARD Per Gunnar Søvik, General Manager Business Unit Cruise in VARD Attilio Dapelo, Lead Project Engineer in VARD Christian Fjørtoft, New Building Director in PONANT Mathieu PETITEAU, Captain Etienne GARCIA, Captain Patrick MARCHESSEAU, and New building Site Manager in PONANT Mr Vladislav SIDORENKOV-DUPREZ.

Le Commandant Charcot

The unique polar exploration ship is developed by PONANT, Stirling Design International, Aker Arctic and VARD and is built by Vard Tulcea in Romania and Vard Søviknes in Norway. The ship is featured with high quality products and solutions from VARD and Fincantieri’s specialized entities.

Le Commandant Charcot is approximately 30 000 gross tons, 150 meters long, 28 meters wide and has a cruise speed of 15 knots in open water. The vessel can accommodate 245 passengers in 123 staterooms, in addition to a crew of 215 persons.