Compagnie Polynésienne de Transport Maritime’s Aranui 5 Planned To Commence Cruising The Islands Of French Polynesia In 2014

Compagnie Polynésienne de Transport Maritime (CPTM) has ordered a new cargo-passenger ship to run from Papéeté, Tahiti, to the Marquesas and Tuamotu Islands of French Polynesia. The Aranui 5 will replace the Aranui 3 and when she arrives it is reported that Bora Bora may be added to the itinerary on the return passage.

Designed by Romanian naval architect Josip Srpack (the Aranui 3 was built in Romania), the new ship will be built at Huang Hai shipyard in China and is scheduled for delivery in July 2014. The gap in the numbers is caused by the fact that there were actually two Aranui 2‘s so the number 5 will finally even this out.

The specifications call for the new ship to have an overall length of 407 feet and to be capable of carrying 296 passengers, of whom 228 will be cruise passengers, 32 will be C class dormitory travellers and 36 will be local deck passengers. The Aranui 3  operated at 90% capacity in 2011, carrying some 2,200 passengers. The Aranui 5 wll have more verandahs and will have 62 deluxe cabins compared to just 24 on the Aranui 3.

For further details of this or any other freighter voyage please contact Miri Lopusna at The Cruise People Ltd in London on 020 7723 2450 or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk.