France LNG first for Gasum

French luxury cruise operator La Compagnie du Ponant’s newbuild polar explorer Le Commandant Charcot received LNG from Gasum’s LNG bunker supply vessel Kairos on 24 September.

“This delivery marks an important step in our cooperation with PONANT and I am proud to support PONANT in reducing their emissions. At the same time we expand our delivery network to a port as significant as Le Havre,” said Jacob Granqvist, vice president of maritime at Gasum.

Polar exploration ship

Le Commandant Charcot is the first hybrid-electric polar exploration ship powered by LNG and will operate in the Arctic and Antarctic with minimal emissions to help protect the environment.

It is also the first passenger ship equipped with high pressure membrane LNG tanks, offering up to two months of autonomy on natural gas, greater flexibility in its bunkering and operation, and guaranteeing enhanced safety, said Ponant.

“We have been working on this natural gas powered polar exploration ship project for 6 years and this is already the second Liquefied Natural Gas bunkering operation we have carried out with Gasum since the delivery of the ship on 29th July 2021,” said Hervé Gastinel, CEO of Ponant.

The ship reached the Geographic North Pole for the first time on 6 September, using LNG throughout its journey, Gastinel added.