Ponant’s ‘Le Commandant Charcot’, which recently became the first exploration cruise ship to reach the geographic North Pole, has signed up for ABB MarineCare services to ensure safe and sustainable operations.
The 10-year service agreement provides 24hr remote support, diagnostics and condition monitoring, as well as preventive and planned maintenance, and the critical spare parts to sustain operational efficiency. The service scope includes warranty for the ship’s energy storage system, supplied and integrated by ABB.
Key benefits claimed for ABB MarineCare include increased safety, reduced operational, maintenance and administration costs and maximised vessel uptime. Regular maintenance and continuous awareness of asset health status enable resolving possible issues remotely, preventing failure escalation and reducing the need for unplanned activities. Eight ABB Ability Collaborative Operations Centres worldwide provide 24/7 support.
Mathieu Petiteau, Newbuilding Director, Ponant, said: “At Ponant, we take great pride in allowing our guests to experience the most awe-inspiring destinations on Earth, secure in the knowledge that their safety and the health of the environment are our utmost priorities. ABB’s support ensures optimized performance of our advanced ABB technology on a continuous basis, bringing us complete peace of mind and allowing us to focus on delivering a unique travel experience.”
Jyri Jusslin, Head of Service, ABB Marine and Ports, said: “Ponant’s high standards in safety and sustainability are crucial when operating in isolated environments such as the Arctic and Antarctica. Our MarineCare agreement ensures that Le Commandant Charcot has full access to our remote services wherever in the world she is sailing, and offer the ship’s crew continuous training to help them respond to any unforeseen issues.”
The Polar Class PC2 expedition vessel features the largest energy storage system installed on a cruise ship, as well as two ABB Azipod propulsion units with a combined power of 34MW. With the electric drive motor situated in a submerged pod outside the ship hull, the Azipod system can rotate 360 degrees, increasing manoeuvrability and operating efficiency and is said to cut fuel consumption by up to 20% compared to conventional shaftline systems.
