Expedition travelers watching for a wind-and-solar polar sailing ship now have a hard construction milestone to track, not just concept art.
Selar says construction of Captain Arctic, its first 36-passenger expedition sailing ship, has passed the 75 percent mark at Chantier Naval de l’Ocean Indien in Port Louis, Mauritius, with float-out expected soon and solar sails nearly ready for installation.
- Ship: Captain Arctic, Selar’s first expedition sailing newbuild.
- Milestone: Construction past 75 percent at CNOI shipyard in Port Louis, Mauritius.
- Capacity: About 36 passengers on a 70-meter, 2,200-ton vessel.
- Power plan: Wind plus solar sails aimed at near-zero emissions polar sailing.
- Traveler job: Watch for float-out and first-expedition booking windows rather than board today.
Cruise Industry News reports the update from CEO and founder Sophie Galvagnon, who said the ship has entered the last quarter of construction and that she can already walk the bridge and touch the finished hull colors.
That is a different traveler signal from a pure financing announcement. The hardware is far enough along that interior finishing, propellers, and sail installation are the remaining visible gates before sea trials and first expeditions.
Independent ship databases such as CruiseMapper’s Captain Arctic profile already list the vessel as a 2026-built Selar polar sailship under construction at CNOI in Port Louis, which aligns with the yard and capacity details in the latest construction report.
What is being built
Captain Arctic is designed for year-round Arctic expedition cruising as a sailing ship with five rigid aluminum solar sails covering about 20,000 square feet of solar panels. Selar describes the concept as mainly wind and sun powered with a close-to-zero-emissions goal.
The vessel is about 70 meters long and 2,200 tons, sized for roughly 36 guests rather than mass-market expedition capacity. That small guest count is the product identity, not a temporary limit.
Galvagnon said interiors are the current focus before propellers are installed, and that more crew will soon join yard work to prepare for first expeditions. The hull already carries its final colors, the bridge is equipped, and the solar sails are nearly ready to install.
Selar has described Captain Arctic as the first of up to ten newbuilds over about ten years for polar operations in both the Arctic and Antarctica. This milestone is the first hull proof of that multi-ship plan.
Why a 75 percent yard update matters for expedition shoppers
Most expedition shoppers book named ships with published itineraries, ice-class claims, and departure ports. A startup ship that only exists in renderings is hard to put on a calendar or a loyalty plan.
A 75 percent complete hull with a named shipyard, a named bridge, and near-ready sails moves the product from speculative to near-sea-trial. Travelers who want first-season polar sailing on a solar-sail ship can now set a realistic watch window for float-out, sea trials, and booking opens.
It still is not a ticket. Cruise Industry News does not publish a passenger booking start date or first public itinerary calendar in the milestone report. Treat the story as a construction status update with a clear next-action watchlist, not as a fare sale.
How this fits the expedition market
Small-ship polar capacity has been expanding through established expedition brands and a few tech-forward startups. Selar’s differentiator is the solar-sail hardware claim and the Mauritius build path rather than a European yard conversion of an older hull.
France-based Selar has previously told Cruise Industry News it chose the Mauritius yard for the green ship program.
That geography matters for observers tracking shipyard capacity, but passengers will care more about the eventual polar embarkation ports and seasonality.
Port Louis is a long way from Arctic embarkation cities, so the build location is a production choice, not a clue about where guests will eventually fly to join the ship.
If you already follow expedition newbuilds, add Captain Arctic float-out and first Arctic season dates to the same tracker you use for other 36 to 100 guest ships. If you only book proven expedition lines with multi-year operating records, this milestone is background until itineraries and passenger contracts appear.
Deep Arrival’s cruise port planning pages are not a substitute for polar expedition logistics, but they illustrate the same habit of locking port access and transfer plans only after a ship and season are real. For broader expedition context already on Deep Arrival, earlier small-ship polar coverage remains a separate stream from this Selar first-hull progress report.
Earlier Cruise Industry News coverage of Selar’s company launch and the Mauritius yard selection still provide the background that this is a multi-year polar newbuild program rather than a one-off conversion project.
That continuity matters for travelers who saw only the 2026 yard photo. The same reporter record ties the 75 percent hull to the original sustainable shipping claim and the planned series of polar ships for Arctic and Antarctic seasons.
Until Selar publishes a passenger terms package, deposit schedule, and medical or age requirements typical of polar expedition products, do not treat social media construction photos as a booking invitation.
Experienced expedition guests should also compare the 36-guest target against ice-class expedition ships already sailing with 100 to 200 guests if their priority is lecture programs, Zodiac capacity, or physician staffing depth.
Captain Arctic’s small size may be a feature for travelers who want quieter decks and fewer people at landings, but it is a constraint for groups that need more cabin inventory on the same sailing.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Want first-season solar-sail polar trips | Watch for float-out, sea trials, and the first public booking calendar from Selar. |
| Only book proven expedition brands | File the 75 percent milestone as background until passenger contracts exist. |
| Compare small-ship capacity | Note the 36-guest design and 70-meter length against larger expedition ships. |
| Track shipyard risk | Follow CNOI Port Louis finishing work, sail install, and propeller fit before trials. |
| Need dates for 2027 planning | Do not invent sail dates; wait for Selar’s first-expedition announcement. |
- Float-out: Galvagnon said float-out is expected soon after the 75 percent mark.
- Solar sails: Installation of the five rigid solar sails is the next visible hardware step.
- Booking window: No passenger sale dates are in the current construction update.
- First season: Arctic year-round design claims still need published itineraries and ports.
- Sister ships: The up-to-ten ship plan remains a company target until more hulls start.
Everything about first passenger sailings remains subject to sea trials, flag-state certification, and commercial launch decisions that have not been dated in the milestone report.
Use official Selar channels and the Cruise Industry News construction record as the proof base until a booking page exists.
Also recheck whether the company publishes medical screening rules, polar clothing lists, and charter vs individual cabin sales before you hold air tickets to a polar gateway city.
Those passenger documents usually arrive only after sea trials clear, so construction progress should lower hype risk without creating a false urgency to wire a deposit today.
What is Captain Arctic?
It is Selar’s first expedition sailing ship, designed for about 36 passengers and year-round Arctic operations with wind and solar sails.
Where is the ship being built?
Construction is underway at Chantier Naval de l’Ocean Indien in Port Louis, Mauritius.
How complete is construction?
Selar says the project has passed 75 percent completion and entered the last quarter of construction.
Can travelers book a sailing today?
The current report is a construction milestone only. It does not publish a passenger booking open date or first itinerary calendar.
Why should expedition shoppers care now?
A hull past 75 percent with near-ready solar sails is a stronger signal than renderings alone for travelers tracking first-season polar sailing capacity.
