Gasum bunkers LNG to Ponant’s polar explorer

The Finnish energy company Gasum has marked its first LNG delivery in France by bunkering LNG to French cruise line Ponant’s newbuilt polar explorer.

Gasum delivered LNG to the French luxury cruise operator’s newbuild Le Commandant Charcot in Le Havre, France. The bunkering operation took place on 24 September.

Besides being Gasum’s first LNG delivery in the country, this also marks the first such operation in the port of Le Havre.

Le Havre is the second-largest commercial port and the largest container port in France.

Le Commandant Charcot is the first hybrid-electric polar exploration ship powered by LNG. The vessel features two GTT Mark III membrane technology tanks for a total capacity of 4,500 cubic metres of LNG.

Reducing emissions is crucial because the ship will be operating in fragile environments such as the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Thus, it will run on LNG as the currently most environmentally friendly maritime fuel available.

“The ship reached the Geographic North Pole for the first time on 6 September 2021, using natural gas throughout its journey”, informed Hervé Gastinel, CEO of  Ponant.

He said it is the first passenger ship with high-pressure membrane LNG tanks offering up to two months of autonomy on LNG. It also offers greater flexibility in its bunkering and operation and guaranteeing enhanced safety.

“Le Commandant Charcot paves the way for new and more environmentally friendly natural gas propulsion methods and helps to meet the CO2 reduction targets set out in the Paris Agreement,” said Gastinel in conclusion.