MY Le Ponant

Le Ponant is a three-masted, commercially operated French luxury yacht operated by Compagnie du Ponant. The ship has capacity for up to 32 passengers in 16 cabins. It was built 1991 by the Societe Francaise de Construction Navales (SFCN) shipyard in Villeneuve-la-Garenne, France.[1][3] In 2008, the ship was attacked by Somali pirates and was only released after a military intervention. In 2022, the yacht was refitted for increased environmental protection to a design by Jean-Philippe Nuel Studio.

For the former French Atlantic fleet, see Ponant fleet.
Le Ponant
Le Ponant in Grenada in 2017
History
Wallis and Futuna
NameLe Ponant
OperatorPonant
Port of registryWallis and Futuna Mata Utu
BuilderSFCN, France[1]
Completed1991[1]
IdentificationIMO number: 8914219

MMSI number 227186000

Call sign FGZZ[2]
StatusIn service
General characteristics [1]
TypeLuxury yacht
Tonnage1,489 GT
Length88 m (288 ft 9 in)
Beam12 m (39 ft 4 in)
Draft4 m (13 ft 1 in)
Decks3 (passenger accessible)
Installed power2,200 hp (1,600 kW) motor and sails
Propulsion
  • 1 propeller
  • 1,500 m2 (16,000 sq ft) sail area
Sail planThree masts
Capacity67 passengers
Crew30

Description

On board, Le Ponant has one restaurant. Le Diamant panoramic restaurant offers buffet breakfast and dinner as well as fine gastronomic cuisine.

Le Ponant was entirely refitted and refurbished in 2022. Having been totally renovated with a design by the Jean-Philippe Nuel Studio, the end result was 16 staterooms for a maximum of 32 guests.[4] Le Ponant, which will navigate under sail as often as possible, includes other improvements such as a dockside connection, an innovative system of SCR filters to eliminate fine particles and reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 90%, waste sorting and a state-of-the-art water treatment system – all to help protect the environment.[5][6]

2008 Somali pirate attack

On 4 April 2008, Le Ponant was seized by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden while en route from the Seychelles to the Mediterranean. The ship carried no passengers at the time of its capture, but all 30 crewmembers were taken hostage; 22 French, 6 Filipino, 1 Cameroonian and 1 Ukrainian.[7] French forces, including the aviso Commandant Bouan, and a Canadian CH-124 helicopter from HMCS Charlottetown were monitoring the yacht after its seizure.[8] The hostages were released without incident on 12 April.

Following the release, French helicopters from the Djibouti military base tracked the pirates to the village of Jariban. French commando marine and GIGN operating from the frigate Jean Bart and the cruiser Jeanne d'Arc moved in when the pirates attempted to flee in the desert. A sniper disabled the get-away vehicle, and the commandos were able to capture six men. Local officials claimed that three people died in the raid, with a further eight wounded, but France denied this. Troops also recovered some of the ransom money paid by the owner of the yacht for the release of its crew.[9] The six captured pirates were flown to Paris, where they faced trial in 2012.[10][11]

Footnotes
  1. Ward, Douglas (2008). Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Singapore: Berlitz. pp. 419. ISBN 978-981-268-240-6.
  2. "Vessel details Le Ponant". Digital-Seas.com. Retrieved 31 May 2010.: Current position, data, and photos of Le Ponant
  3. "Deutz-Powered Cruise Sailing Ship Launched At SFCN Shipyard". Maritime Reporter. New Wave Media. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  4. "Le Ponant to Sail New Seychelles Program". Cruise Industry News. 21 March 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  5. Chollier, Guillaume (14 January 2022). "Jean-David Lemaire, Captain of Le Ponant: "Le Ponant is an invitation to experience priviledged and authentic moments"". journaldespalaces.com. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  6. Marcus, Tallis Boerne (24 March 2022). "Le Ponant Is Returning To The Stunning Seychelles". cruisepassenger.com.au. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  7. "Somali pirates seize French yacht". BBC News. 4 April 2008.
  8. "France is tracking hijacked yacht". BBC News. 5 April 2008.
  9. "France raid ship after crew freed". BBC News. 12 April 2008.
  10. "France charges Somali 'pirates'". BBC News. 18 April 2008.
  11. "Six Somali pirates on trial in Paris over capture of Le Ponant crew". 22 May 2012.

References
  • "Le Ponant". Worldwide Resorts & Cruise Associates. Archived from the original on 4 April 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2008.

Media related to IMO 8914219 at Wikimedia Commons

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