PONANT sets goal for a zero impact ship by 2025

PONANT has made an ambitious pledge to design a ship with zero impact on the environment when sailing.

After last year’s launch of Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s first hybrid-electric LNG-powered luxury icebreaker, the research and development team at PONANT is working on a 14th eco-designed ship as part of the line’s mission to reduce its environmental footprint, protect marine ecosystems and support scientific research.

“For several months now we’ve been working on a new whole life cycle concept ship to reduce her ecological footprint,” Mathieu Petiteau, new building and R&D director at PONANT said.

“We’re assessing all the potential impacts: discharges into the atmosphere and water, microplastics, noise levels, and social and human impacts. As with Le Commandant Charcot, she will also be available to scientists. A total new generation ship needs to be designed and we intend to deliver it.”

The new ship’s technical and commercial criteria have been established in consultation with all relevant departments.

The aim is to deliver a ship that can combine several non-fossil fuel energy sources, including wind propulsion, by integrating technological bricks.

Le Commandant Charcot (©Studio Ponant)

The scope of work should be ready by the end of 2022, with the preliminary plans then produced and technical specifications drawn up for a call for tenders. The goal is to have the ship up and running by 2025.

Last week, PONANT obtained Green Marine Europe certification for the third year running.

The Green Marine Europe initiative recognises those who measure their environmental performance every year and reduce their ecological footprint.

It addresses priority issues through 14 performance indicators, 8 of which apply to shipowners. They assess on a scale of 1 to 5 the practices and technologies that are having a direct impact on the environment.

These include underwater noise, pollutant air emissions (NOx, SOx and PM), greenhouse gas emissions (CO2), invasive aquatic species, management of residues and oily discharges, and ship recycling. This year PONANT achieved an average of 4.4, reaching level 5 (“leadership and excellence”) for 6 out of the 8 indicators.

PONANT was the first international cruise company to join the Green Marine Europe environmental certification for the shipping industry programme.

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