Paradigm Ship

For those studying polar ice, a berth aboard Le Commandant Charcot is like winning a lottery ticket.

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“This cruise ship is one of the few resources scientists can use, because nothing else can get there,” says G Mark Miller, CEO of research-vessel builder Greenwater Marine Sciences Offshore and a former ship captain for the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). “Then factor in 80 per cent of scientists who want to go to sea, can’t, because of the shortage of research vessels.”

Both Ponant and Viking have designed research labs aboard new expedition vessels as part of their sustainability initiatives. “Remote areas like Antarctica need more data—the typical research is just single data points,” says Damon Stanwell-Smith, PhD, head of science and sustainability at Viking. “Every scientist says more information is needed.”