Le Commandant Charcot crosses the Strait of McClure
On September 27, 2022, Le Commandant Charcot became the first French cruise ship to cross the Strait of McClure, infamos for its difficult ice conditions.
Le Commandant Charcot
Le Commandant Charcot successfully brought her guests to the heart of Canada’s Northwest Territories after crossing the Northwest Passage, including the Strait of Fury and Hecla, which celebrates 200 years since its discovery in 2022. The ship then reached the Strait of McClure and the Beaufort Sea before sailing along the American continent to reach the Antarctic. Extreme weather conditions make navigation in this region very complicated. But Le Commandant Charcot, designed for polar exploration, is the first cruise ship that has managed to tackle this dangerous strait.
Le Commandant Charcot reached the Geographic North Pole for the first time last July. It reached another record in February 2022 when it reached the southernmost navigable latitude in the Ross Sea. The guests had an unforgettable experience, which went down in the history of navigation and observed a dozen polar bears during this trip.
Le Commandant Charcot
Le Commandant Charcot, the only luxury icebreaker in the world, is a hybrid-electric exploration ship powered by liquefied natural gas. It also hosts researchers who have specific areas of expertise. Two scientists were on board for this trip: Marion Fourquez of the Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO) and Nicolas Cassar of Duke University in the United States. Both specialize in marine microbiology. This was an opportunity for them to conduct studies along this navigation route.
In this way, Ponant with Le Commandant Charcot was able to help the scientific world collect data and deepen our knowledge of the planet. Further information on Ponant and Le Commandant Charcot on the official website → Ponant.
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