Ponant says the future of cruise is blowing in the wind
NewsPonant has shared the design and renderings for their brand-new ship. She will be the brand’s first vessel to achieve carbon-neutral navigation.
The vessel has an amazing arrangement of technology – including good, old-fashioned sails.
Ponant Global CEO Hervé Gastinel says the ship will sail without producing any greenhouse gas emissions.
“By 2030, our future ship aims to have zero greenhouse gas emissions when sailing, maneuvering, in port, or at anchor.
“Her carbon footprint will reduce throughout her life cycle. Renewable energy supplied by the wind and sun, combined with low-carbon non-fossil energy associated with fuel cells.”
Mr Gastinel says he wants the new ship to play a significant role in reducing the environmental impact of the cruise.
“This is much more than a new ship. We want to offer a new mode of navigation and actively contribute to decarbonisation of the maritime sector.
“Our in-house R&D team has brought together the best specialists in shipbuilding and renewable energy to imagine and develop an energy model that aims at zero emissions.”
Ponant’s plans do appear symbolic of a larger industry movement towards zero-emission ships. Cruise line Hurtigruten recently revealed its own plans for ‘the world’s most energy-efficient cruise ship’, also to sail by 2030.
Currently named as the Swap2Zero project, Ponant’s new vessel has six main pillars of technology and sustainability that aim to make the ship an industry-driving innovation.
How will Ponant’s new ship be environmentally friendly?
The ship’s sail power system and hull will work towards providing 50% of the propulsion energy. There will be more than 1000 square metres of photovoltaic panels to generate solar energy. And, a low-temperature fuel cell that runs on liquid hydrogen and then recycles all water and heat produced.
Then the ship will have a high-temperature fuel cell, with all heat emitted being used to produce hot water.
And, there will be on-board carbon capture technology. The whole ship will run on an energy management system that will control and distribute power without generations.
So she will come in at around 181 metres, and have a hundred staterooms. There are two designs, with two different sail propulsion systems being considered.
And one design shows the new ship will have more traditional-looking sails and the other shows more rectangular-shaped cylindrical sails.
Ponant is designing the ship t in collaboration with Stirling Design International.
And there are ongoing talks towards selecting a shipyard to begin the build.
Hurtigruten’s SeaZero is also a hybrid with sails and is slated to set sail at the same time. The race for sailing net zero is truly on.
