Startup expedition cruise company Selar Expeditions says construction of its first vessel, Captain Arctic, has entered its final quarter at CNOI in Mauritius, with the 36-passenger ship designed for low-emission Arctic operations.
Selar Expeditions’ first vessel, Captain Arctic, has passed the 75 percent construction mark at Chantier Naval de l’Ocean Indien in Port Louis, Mauritius, as the French startup moves closer to entering the expedition cruise market.
According to an update from Selar Expeditions CEO and founder Sophie Galvagnon, the vessel has “officially entered the last quarter of its construction.” She said the project had moved from concept to a tangible newbuild, with the bridge, hull and key exterior elements now taking shape.
“For years, it only existed in drawings, spreadsheets and crazy conversations,” Galvagnon said in the update. “Today, I can walk on its bridge, touch its hull and already imagine the first miles we’ll sail together.”
Captain Arctic is being developed as a 36-passenger expedition sailing vessel for year-round Arctic cruising. The ship is expected to be floated out soon, with its hull now in final colours and its bridge fully equipped. Work is currently focused on completing the interiors before propeller installation.
Galvagnon said the vessel’s “solar sails are almost ready to be installed” and that additional crew would soon join the yard team to prepare the ship for its first expeditions.
The 70-metre vessel is designed to operate with substantially reduced emissions by relying primarily on wind and solar power. According to previous reporting by Cruise Industry News, Selar has described itself as the world’s first sustainable shipping company. The company says Captain Arctic will use five rigid aluminium “solar sails” covered with around 20,000 square feet of solar panels.
The 2,200-ton ship is intended to be the first in a planned series of up to 10 expedition newbuilds over the next decade. In earlier comments to Cruise Industry News, Galvagnon said Selar aimed to develop a fleet of polar expedition ships for operations in both the Arctic and Antarctica.
For the expedition cruise sector, Captain Arctic’s progress is notable because it reflects growing pressure on operators to reduce the environmental footprint of polar travel. Expedition cruising continues to attract strong demand, but operators are facing closer scrutiny over emissions, fuel use and the sustainability of remote-area operations.
If delivered as planned, Captain Arctic will enter the market as a small-capacity alternative to conventional expedition vessels, with Selar positioning wind and solar-assisted propulsion as a central part of its commercial and environmental strategy.
Source credit: Based on a company construction update shared by Sophie Galvagnon, CEO and founder of Selar Expeditions, and previous reporting by Cruise Industry News cited in the release.
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