Ponant has ordered two new ships for its newly acquired Paul
Gauguin brand, according to the Italian shipyard Fincantieri, which will build
the ships.
Fincantieri said a memorandum of agreement has been signed
for a pair of 230-passenger ships modeled on Ponant's current Explorer-class
ships. The order is worth about $332 million. The agreement includes an option for a third
ship.
The two ships are scheduled for delivery in 2022 and will be
added to the existing single ship that Paul Gauguin operates in French
Polynesia. They will be built by the production network of Fincantieri's
Vard subsidiary, which specializes in small expedition-style ships.
The two ships will feature "the most extensive battery
package application in the market, allowing smokeless operation at anchor, in
ports and in environmentally sensitive areas," Fincantieri said.