Dedicated female captain
As a veteran captain of cruise and commercial vessels in the polar regions for the past decade, Sophie Galvagnon is all too familiar with the thrill of exploring the most remote regions of the Arctic and Antarctic. But there is one thing that always bothers her: “I started to feel guilty about sailing ships that were more polluting… The smell of fuel rises when the engine is started in front of a polar bear.” That happens every time the crew spots a polar bear, the ship stops for a moment to give the passengers, up to 200 at a time, a chance to observe the animal.
This experience may seem unrelated to the sense of adventure that comes with exploring the polar regions. But somewhere along the line, with its fixed itineraries and its crowds of tourists on giant, carbon-emitting ships, the spirit of adventure has been somewhat diminished.
Galvagnon said that during a vacation, she was sitting on the deck of a friend's sailboat in northern Norway when a whale appeared.
“The scene was completely silent and peaceful. The whale was so close that you could feel its moist breath, which smelled of plankton. Everyone was mesmerized,” she recalls. From there, the captain had the idea of giving people that authentic and peaceful experience, with a low environmental impact of course, on a small cruise ship.
As a result, Galvagnon’s company, Selar, is designing a new type of expedition cruise ship with rigid sails and solar panels. The ship can carry 36 passengers and 24 crew, aiming to be the first cruise ship powered entirely by renewable energy and create a new model for ultra-low-emission expedition ships.
The five 35m-high sails are made of aluminum and can be twisted up to 180 degrees to catch the wind or folded down when not needed. The original concept was to rely on wind or solar energy collected most of the time, either directly or stored in batteries, to power the boat. The use of the engine would be kept to a minimum and fueled with HVO, a biofuel made from vegetable oil.
Galvagnon, who is half Swedish and half French, began her career on container ships before discovering her passion for the icy landscape while working for a cruise line in Antarctica. She honed her ice-navigation skills while sailing an icebreaker in Sweden, becoming the youngest woman to be awarded the French Order of Merit for Maritime Navigation.
Captain Galvagnon worked with a naval architect to develop the concept of the ship, drawing inspiration from historic expedition ships and the latest technology. The design of the ship is strictly controlled to cope with extreme conditions. For example, the ship can withstand up to 44 tons of ice clinging to its sails. The ship's technical structure has now been completed at a shipyard in Mauritius, and once the hull is built, the completed ship will be ready for service from June 2026.
In addition to design innovations, the ship's biggest goal is to have a more positive impact by supporting scientists, implementing a zero waste policy at sea, and having an initiative to collect plastic waste along the Svalbard coast.
Pressure to reduce emissions into the environment
Cruise companies offering trips to the polar regions are under particular pressure to reduce their emissions, given the fragile polar environment, the rapid growth in passenger numbers and the fact that their customers are also paying to see unspoiled nature. The number of passengers visiting Antarctica by ship has increased from 37,000 in the summer of 2013-14 to 122,000 in 2023. The Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) said that among its members, passenger numbers in the region had increased from 33,000 in 2019 to 49,000 in 2023, although it said growth over the past decade was now stabilising.
Since July, the International Maritime Organization's Polar Code has banned the use of heavy fuel oil in Arctic waters, and the Norwegian government has also introduced stricter environmental regulations in Svalbard that will come into effect in January 2025. One of the regulations states that ships carrying more than 200 passengers are not allowed to enter protected areas.
“The most damaging impacts cruise ships have in the Arctic are air pollution, including black carbon, as well as water pollution including sewage, food waste and domestic wastewater from sinks and bathrooms,” said Bryan Comer, head of the International Council on Clean Transportation’s maritime program.
Some cruise operators have switched to liquefied natural gas (LNG) instead of marine gas or diesel to cut carbon emissions. Although they are marketed as green, environmental groups have pointed out that such ships can still have an impact on climate change by releasing methane. Others are building hybrid ships that can switch between battery electric and conventional fuel.
Selar is not the only company looking at solar sails as a potential alternative. Norway’s Hurtigruten and Marseille-based Ponant are both developing ships with solar panels built into their sails, with plans to launch them by 2030.
Meanwhile, French hotel group Accor and shipbuilder Chantiers de l'Atlantique have also teamed up to create the 220m Orient Express Silenseas, a super-luxury vessel. The vessel will have a hybrid propulsion system powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), but will benefit from wind gathered by three rigid sails on a 100m-tall mast. The finished product is expected to be ready in 2026, with a capacity of 130 passengers and will operate in the Mediterranean and Caribbean.
Ship operators are also experimenting with wind propulsion systems. Earlier this year, Cargill Ocean Transportation announced that its cargo ship Pyxis Ocean saved an average of 3 tons of fuel per day during a six-month trial. This was achieved by installing two 37-meter-tall steel and fiberglass wind sails created by British company BAR Technologies, based on designs used by yacht racing teams in the America's Cup.
According to Comer, dual-power ships that reduce reliance on fossil fuels are a promising step forward, along with wind propulsion, more energy-efficient hull designs and slower speeds. “Cleaner fuels like green hydrogen or green methanol could have even greater environmental benefits,” he added.
