Earlier this week Ponant officially launched its new Le Commandant Charcot.

The inauguration ceremony took place in Le Havre, France where the French explorer, Jean-Baptiste Charcot, departed from for his journey to Antarctica.

The 13th ship in PONANT’s fleet was launched during a ceremony attended by Anne Manipoud-Charcot, the explorer’s great-grand-daughter, Hervé Gastinel, PONANT’s CEO, and Captains Etienne Garcia and Patrick Marchesseau.

“The boldness of this project is not just about taking passengers to the far corners of the Arctic and Antarctica, it is about doing it safely and following the same values of seamanship that move us. Our principles are first about respect for nature – knowing how much we owe the oceans and the fragile eco-systems we travel. Polar regions in particular deserve the highest respect and attention. We are committed to this mission every day,” said Hervé Gastinel, PONANT’s CEO.

A musical prelude from violinist Namanja Radulovic and pianist Laure Favre-Kahn resonated under the Normandy sky off the Etretat cliffs. Chef Alain Ducasse, architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, director Luc Jacquet, and designer Jean-Philippe Nuel were among the guests alongside other partners of the company including Vard shipyard, Stirling Design International and Aker Arctic. Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, French Ambassador for the Poles and Jérôme Chappellaz, Director of the Paul Emile Victor Institute also attended.