VIDEO: Vard firms up four ship order from Ponant

Ships' exteriors are designed by France's Sterling Design International (SDI)

AUGUST 11, 2016 — Fincantieri’s 55.3% owned subsidiary Vard Holdings Limited has now confirmed contracts for four luxury expedition cruise vessels with French cruise company Ponant, a subsidiary of the Pinault family’s holding company Artemis Group.

The ice-class expedition cruise vessels will be approximately 10,000 gross tons, about 131 m long, 18 m wide and will have a cruise speed of 15 knots.

Each will accommodate 180 passengers (92 cabins) and a crew of 110 and will be arranged with luxury facilities on board, fulfilling the highest demands for environmentally friendly and safe operations.

The hulls will be built at Vard’s Tulcea shipyard in Romania. Delivery is scheduled from Vard’s Søviknes shipyard in Norway from summer 2018 to summer 2019.

The exteriors are designed by Nantes, France, based Stirling Design International (SDI).

A teaser video released by Ponant gives some hints of the ships’ innovative features.