Norwegian export credit agency Eksfin (formerly Export Credit Norway and GIEK) is playing a major role in accelerating the ‘green shift’ at sea, providing loan guarantees approaching 1 billion Euro for the construction of 35 eco-friendly vessels over the last four years – including ‘Le Commandant Charcot’, the world’s most exclusive polar exploration cruise ship recently delivered to French cruise line PONANT by Norwegian shipbuilder VARD.
The delivery from VARD Søviknes of ‘Le Commandant Charcot’ serves to highlight Eksfin’s decisive role in financing such projects. VARD won the PONANT contract thanks in part to Eksfin’s state-backed loan and risk guarantees.
Marseille-based PONANT contributed a significant amount of the contract position from its own resources, with Eksfin providing the outstanding monies in cooperation with French banks. The Eksfin loan amounted to EUR 162.4m, with risk guarantees totalling an even higher EUR 182.7m.
Eksfin earlier contributed to the financing of six expedition cruise ships also built by VARD for PONANT, but this seventh ship is unique and, as the world’s first hybrid-electric, LNG-powered vessel with icebreaking capacity, the first ever of its type.
PONANT estimates that using LNG will reduce emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2) by 95%, 85% and 25%, respectively, compared to conventional cruise ships. ‘Le Commandant Charcot’ is also designed for optimal energy efficiency and minimal footprint using innovative systems engineered by VARD’s specialized business units. The ship’s comprehensive electrical solution features state-of-the-art battery technology from Norway’s Corvus Energy.
PONANT will deploy the 245-passenger ship on polar cruises to the Arctic and Antarctica. Shipping activity in these highly remote areas is subject to strict regulation. In line with PONANT’s strong emphasis on environmental considerations across its activities, ‘Le Commandant Charcot’ has been certified by French classification society Bureau Veritas not only with PC2 polar ice class, but also with ‘Clean Ship’ and ‘Comfort Class’ status thanks to cutting-edge technologies that reduce not only environmental impact but also noise and vibration while ensuring the highest level of safety.
‘Le Commandant Charcot’ is also equipped with research facilities that will enable the scientific community to study and analyse water, air, ice and biological diversity at the extreme poles. It will access some of the world’s remotest spots including the Geographic North Pole (90 degrees north), Northeast Greenland National Park and the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic and the Bellingshausen Sea, Peter I and Charcot Islands and the Larsen Ice Shelf in Antarctica.
Other Norwegian companies made use of Eksfin’s financing for green ship projects including Hurtigruten for hybrid cruiseships; ferry operators Norled, Boreal and Fjord1 for diesel-electric, hydrogen-electric and fully electric ferries; Color Line for what is the world’s largest hybrid cruise-ferry; fishing company Cetus for onshore power connection; and tanker operator Altera Shuttle Tanker for LNG-powered tankers with volatile compound (VOC) emissions recovery.
About Eksfin
Export Finance Norway (Eksfin) is a governmental financial enterprise under the wing of Norway’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries. Eksfin promotes Norwegian exports by supporting Norwegian companies, foreign buyers and their banks with a broad range of state-backed loans, guarantees and expert advisory services. Eksfin’s financial solutions represent a state-backed supplement to the private banking and finance market. Eksfin was established on 1 July 2021 through the merger of the Norwegian Export Credit Guarantee Agency (GIEK) and Export Credit Norway AS.
