LE LAPEROUSE expedition cruise vessel
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2022 2:54 am
Op this stamp for the Campaign against COVID 19 on Wallis & Futuna is visible the expedition-cruise vessel LE LAPEROUSE.
Built as passenger-cruise vessel, the hull was built by Yard Tulcea, Tulcea, Romania, while she was completed and outfitted by Vard Soviknes, Sovik, Norway under yard No 848 for SAS Caroline 86, France.
20 February 2017 laid down.
19 December 2017 launched as the LE LAPÉROUSE, she was the first of a series of the explorer class of six cruise vessels.
Tonnage: 9,976 grt, 1,305 dwt, dim. 131.5 x 18.0 x 4.7m. (draught).
Powered: Diesel-electric by four 8-cyl. Wärtsila type 8L20 diesel engines of each 2,000 kW., twin shafts powered by Indar electric motors, which have Rolls-Royce controllable pitch propellers, service speed 12 knots, maximum 15 knots.
Passenger capacity 184 and 110 crew.
15 June 2018 completed. IMO No 9814026, managed by Ponant Cruises, France, she is registered Wallis & Fortuna with homeport Mata Utu.
19 June 2018 she made her maiden voyage.
10 July 2018 christened by Mrs. Maryvonne Pinault in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland.
Le Lapérouse is the lead ship of the Ponant Explorers-class of cruise ships operated by Ponant. Each member of the class has been allocated the name of a famous French explorer, and Le Lapérouse is named after naval officer Jean-François de Galaup, Comte de Lapérouse.
History
Built by VARD, Le Lapérouse had her keel laid down at the VARD's Tulcea yard in Romania on 1 March 2017. She was floated out on 18 December 2017 and was then finally outfitted at the builder's Søviknes facility in Ålesund, Norway. After successful sea trials that began in May 2018, she was delivered to Ponant in Ålesund on 15 June 2018.
The following day, 16 June 2018, Le Lapérouse departed for Reykjavík, Iceland, where she commenced her maiden cruise on 19 June 2018. She was christened by Maryvonne Pinault, the wife of French billionaire businessman François Pinault, at a ceremony in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland, on 10 July 2018.
2021: New Zealand
In late January 2021, it was reported the New Zealand-based tourism company Wild Earth Travel had chartered Le Lapérouse to run small expeditions around the country commencing 30 January. The cruise ship applied for visa exemptions to enter New Zealand due to COVID-19 border restrictions. While Immigration New Zealand granted the ship and essential crew visa exemptions, 60 hospitality staff were denied visa exemptions on the grounds that they needed to hire New Zealanders. Though the hospitality crew was denied visa exemptions twice, Le Lapérouse still sailed for New Zealand. In response to media interest, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi defended Immigration New Zealand's decision, stating that Le Lapérouse should have waited for the department to process its crew's visa applications before sailing for New Zealand. The ship was instructed to return its hospitality crew to New Caledonia in order to re-enter New Zealand.
So far I could find out she never entered New Zealand waters.
2022 Active service with a position in the Coral Sea.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Lap%C3%A9rouse.
Walles & Futuna 2020 500fr, sg?, Scott 827
Built as passenger-cruise vessel, the hull was built by Yard Tulcea, Tulcea, Romania, while she was completed and outfitted by Vard Soviknes, Sovik, Norway under yard No 848 for SAS Caroline 86, France.
20 February 2017 laid down.
19 December 2017 launched as the LE LAPÉROUSE, she was the first of a series of the explorer class of six cruise vessels.
Tonnage: 9,976 grt, 1,305 dwt, dim. 131.5 x 18.0 x 4.7m. (draught).
Powered: Diesel-electric by four 8-cyl. Wärtsila type 8L20 diesel engines of each 2,000 kW., twin shafts powered by Indar electric motors, which have Rolls-Royce controllable pitch propellers, service speed 12 knots, maximum 15 knots.
Passenger capacity 184 and 110 crew.
15 June 2018 completed. IMO No 9814026, managed by Ponant Cruises, France, she is registered Wallis & Fortuna with homeport Mata Utu.
19 June 2018 she made her maiden voyage.
10 July 2018 christened by Mrs. Maryvonne Pinault in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland.
Le Lapérouse is the lead ship of the Ponant Explorers-class of cruise ships operated by Ponant. Each member of the class has been allocated the name of a famous French explorer, and Le Lapérouse is named after naval officer Jean-François de Galaup, Comte de Lapérouse.
History
Built by VARD, Le Lapérouse had her keel laid down at the VARD's Tulcea yard in Romania on 1 March 2017. She was floated out on 18 December 2017 and was then finally outfitted at the builder's Søviknes facility in Ålesund, Norway. After successful sea trials that began in May 2018, she was delivered to Ponant in Ålesund on 15 June 2018.
The following day, 16 June 2018, Le Lapérouse departed for Reykjavík, Iceland, where she commenced her maiden cruise on 19 June 2018. She was christened by Maryvonne Pinault, the wife of French billionaire businessman François Pinault, at a ceremony in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland, on 10 July 2018.
2021: New Zealand
In late January 2021, it was reported the New Zealand-based tourism company Wild Earth Travel had chartered Le Lapérouse to run small expeditions around the country commencing 30 January. The cruise ship applied for visa exemptions to enter New Zealand due to COVID-19 border restrictions. While Immigration New Zealand granted the ship and essential crew visa exemptions, 60 hospitality staff were denied visa exemptions on the grounds that they needed to hire New Zealanders. Though the hospitality crew was denied visa exemptions twice, Le Lapérouse still sailed for New Zealand. In response to media interest, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi defended Immigration New Zealand's decision, stating that Le Lapérouse should have waited for the department to process its crew's visa applications before sailing for New Zealand. The ship was instructed to return its hospitality crew to New Caledonia in order to re-enter New Zealand.
So far I could find out she never entered New Zealand waters.
2022 Active service with a position in the Coral Sea.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Lap%C3%A9rouse.
Walles & Futuna 2020 500fr, sg?, Scott 827