MY Le Ponant
{{short description|French cruise ship}}
{{EngvarB|date=December 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{for|the former French Atlantic fleet|Ponant fleet}}
| {{Infobox ship begin |display title=MY Le Ponant |infobox caption=Le Ponant}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=LE PONANT 2365.jpg |Ship image size=300px |Ship caption=Le Ponant in Grenada in 2017 }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country= Wallis and Futuna |Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|Wallis and Futuna|civil}} |Ship name=Le Ponant |Ship operator=Ponant |Ship registry= {{flagicon|Wallis and Futuna}} Mata Utu |Ship route= |Ship ordered= |Ship builder=SFCN, France{{cite book |title=Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships |last=Ward |first=Douglas |year=2008 |publisher=Berlitz |location=Singapore |isbn=978-981-268-240-6 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/berlitzcompleteg00ward/page/419 419] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/berlitzcompleteg00ward/page/419 }} |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched= |Ship christened= |Ship acquired= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship identification={{IMO Number|8914219}} MMSI number 227186000 Call sign FGZZ {{cite web |url=http://www.digital-seas.com/vessel_search/vessel_details/on/le%20ponant_q39767.html |access-date=2010-05-31 |publisher=Digital-Seas.com |title=Vessel details Le Ponant }}: Current position, data, and photos of Le Ponant |Ship fate= |Ship status=In service |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Ship type=Luxury yacht |Ship tonnage={{GT|1,489}} |Ship displacement= |Ship length={{convert|88|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|12|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draft={{convert|4|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship depth= |Ship decks=3 (passenger accessible) |Ship deck clearance= |Ship ramps= |Ship ice class= |Ship sail plan=Three masts |Ship power={{convert|2,200|hp|abbr=on}} motor and sails{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}} |Ship propulsion=*1 propeller
|Ship capacity=67 passengers |Ship crew=30 |Ship notes= }} |
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.{{cite magazine | url=https://magazines.marinelink.com/Magazines/MaritimeReporter/199102/content/deutzpowered-launched-shipyard-200233 | title=Deutz-Powered Cruise Sailing Ship Launched At SFCN Shipyard | magazine=Maritime Reporter| access-date=14 September 2021 | publisher=New Wave Media}} 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.
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.{{cite web |url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/27047-le-ponant-to-sail-new-seychelles-program.html |title=Le Ponant to Sail New Seychelles Program |work=Cruise Industry News |date=21 March 2022 |access-date=5 April 2022}} 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.{{cite web |url=https://www.journaldespalaces.com/en/article-62343-jean-david-lemaire-captain-of-le-ponant-le-ponant-is-an-invitation-to-experience-privileged-and-authentic-moments.html |title=Jean-David Lemaire, Captain of Le Ponant: "Le Ponant is an invitation to experience privileged and authentic moments" |website=journaldespalaces.com |last=Chollier |first=Guillaume |date=14 January 2022 |access-date=5 April 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/le-ponant-is-returning-to-the-stunning-seychelles/ |title=Le Ponant Is Returning To The Stunning Seychelles |first=Tallis Boerne |last=Marcus |work=cruisepassenger.com.au |date=24 March 2022 |access-date=5 April 2022}}
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.{{cite news|title=Somali pirates seize French yacht|date=4 April 2008|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7331290.stm}} French forces, including the aviso Commandant Bouan, and a Canadian CH-124 helicopter from {{HMCS|Charlottetown|FFH 339|6}} were monitoring the yacht after its seizure.{{cite news|title=France is tracking hijacked yacht|date=5 April 2008|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7332003.stm}} 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 {{ship|French frigate|Jean Bart|D615|2}} and the cruiser {{ship|French cruiser|Jeanne d'Arc|R97|2}} 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.{{cite news|title=France raid ship after crew freed|work=BBC News|date=12 April 2008|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7342292.stm}} The six captured pirates were flown to Paris, where they faced trial in 2012.{{cite news|title=France charges Somali 'pirates'|work=BBC News|date=18 April 2008|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7355598.stm}}{{cite web|url=http://www.english.rfi.fr/africa/20120522-six-somali-pirates-trial-paris-over-capture-le-ponant|title=Six Somali pirates on trial in Paris over capture of Le Ponant crew|date=22 May 2012}}{{update after|2014|5|reason=what was the result of the trial?}}{{-}}
Footnotes
{{reflist|30em}}
References
- {{cite web|title=Le Ponant |publisher=Worldwide Resorts & Cruise Associates |access-date=2008-04-06 |url=http://www.cruiseco.com/products_01/Sailing%20Ships/Le%20Ponant/ponant.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080404001719/http://www.cruiseco.com/products_01/Sailing%20Ships/Le%20Ponant/ponant.htm |archive-date=2008-04-04 |url-status=dead }}
External links
{{Commonscat-inline|IMO 8914219}}
- [https://en.ponant.com/le-ponant Compagnie du Ponant official site page about the ship]
{{Compagnie du Ponant ships}}
{{Piracy in Somalia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Le Ponant}}
Category:Battles and conflicts without fatalities
Category:France–Somalia relations
Category:Maritime incidents in 2008
Category:Naval battles involving pirates
Category:Operations involving French special forces
Category:Ships attacked and captured by pirates
Category:Ships built in France