On 12 September 2024, Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot became the first ship to reach the legendary North Pole of Inaccessibility. On board, are 20 international scientists with a mission to collect critical data in this unexplored area.
The only high polar exploration vessel, Le Commandant Charcot ‘s Polar Class 2 (PC2) hull means she can navigate in polar regions while minimising her environmental impact thanks to her hybrid electric engine powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The North Pole of Inaccessibility is defined as the point on the vast Arctic Ocean that is furthest from land. The exact geographic coordinates were established in 2013 with the help of NASA and satellites: 85°48’ North, 176°09’ East. It is 1,465km from Utqiasuk in Alaska, 1,390km from Franz Josef Land in Russia and 1,070km from Ellesmere Island in Canada. For comparison the Geographic North Pole is around 700km from land.
📷 @ponant – Antoine Le Guen, photo ambassador Cindy Miller