PONANT secures Airbus technology to navigate the Arctic

PONANT secures Airbus technology to navigate the Arctic

Le Commandant Charcot has sourced Airbus’ expertise in high-resolution satellite imagery to prepare and finetune its future route plans in the Arctic.

Already providing satellite images of the area to institutions for needs related to shipping, defence, and safety at sea, Airbus will now distribute them to PONANT with other joint applications being studied also.

Images delivered by Airbus in near real-time provide valuable information on ice conditions along the route allowing the crew to then adjust the itinerary accordingly to better account for the updated environmental conditions, ensuring the ship’s safety and limit fuel consumption.

A world first in exploration cruises

Airbus is able to deliver optical and radar images of the North Pole by adapting its satellite tasking based on the needs of the ship.

The processing workflow, first used by Le Commandant Charcot’s first sailings to the North Pole in 2021, involves the Airbus Customer Support teams, PONANT’s fleet digital manager and the ship’s crew to plan which images to purchase to optimise the planned route.

Ordered a few days in advance, the images produced and delivered by Airbus’ radar satellite constellation are available within an hour of purchase with the fleet support team receiving and redirecting them to the ship so the captain and his team can then adjust the route plan accordingly.

“Airbus technology is an invaluable aid when navigating Polar Regions, which are always full of surprises,” captain David Marionneau, director marine operations at PONANT explained.

“The radar images are extremely precise, enabling us to assess the surface, thickness and hardness of ice along the route and plan the most efficient path in terms of safety, comfort and fuel consumption. If necessary, we can even purchase images the same day.”

“We have also used these images for Le Commandant Charcot’s first Northwest Passage crossing”.

New applications being studied

PONANT and Airbus are studying new applications for space images, radar images and very high resolution optical images. The Pléiades Neo satellites 3 and 4, launched in 2021, supply a resolution of 30 cm making it possible to foresee applications for other areas such as ports and other regions such as the Antarctic.

Le Commandant Charcot has specific needs in terms of accessibility, safety and protecting biodiversity. Working with PONANT on exploration cruise navigation in the Arctic enriches our respective” François Lombard, head of intelligence business at airbus defence and space said.

“We are proud to be part of this first North Pole cruise adventure, and we thank PONANT for their trust in us”.


Featured Image: Le Commandant Charcot in the Arctic

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