| More Ponant keels laid

PONANT Cruises’ newest ‘explorer’ ships came one step closer this week, with the formal keel laying ceremony for Le Bouganville and Le Dumont-d’Urville in Norway.

The third and fourth vessels in the series are now under construction in one of the shipyards of Vard, the Norwegian offshoot of Fincantieri.

The first two yachts, Le Laperouse and Le Champlain are scheduled for delivery in less than a year’s time, with these latest two set to hand over in Jun 2019.

Ponant’s new generation of ships, sailing under the French flag, will feature 92 cabins and suites and boast cutting edge “Cleanship” equipment in compliance with the latest environmental regulations.

Built to be able to drop anchor in the most inaccessible sites, the Ponant Explorers will be able to offer “an ever-wider range of destinations” – notably tropical and sub-tropical regions such as Costa Rica, the Amazon, the Maldives, Papua New Guinea, the Orinoco and the Bissagos Islands.

All four Ponant Explorers will also feature the world first Blue Eye “multi sensorial underwater lounge” (CW 01 Jun).

The construction crew are pictured at the keel laying with Ponant newbuilding chief engineer, Hugues Decamus.