Ponant continues to set the trend in the expedition market, announcing today it had ordered a luxury “ice breaking” cruise ship from VARD. The newbuild will be 150 meters long with capacity for 270 passengers.

A delivery date is expected in 2021, and the ship will be LNG powered, according to the company, which said the vessel will also have battery power.

The newbuild will be deployed to discover the “extreme” northeast of Greenland.

VARD reported the contract price for the 30,000-ton ship at approximately $324 million.

The hull will be built at Vard Tulcea in Romania, and delivery is scheduled from Vard Søviknes in Norway in the second quarter of 2021.

Heading into 2018, Ponant takes delivery of a pair of new ships, Le Lapérouse and Le Champlain. Both are being built by VARD and have capacity for 180 passengers. Another two sister ships follow in 2019.