Selar plans to operate 10 36-passenger boats by 2036 with an initial focus on the Arctic, but will also base vessels in the Antarctic and then warmer destinations such as Indonesia and the Galapagos.
The first boat, which is currently being built in Mauritius, will start sailing in November 2026. Selar’s expeditions are available to book now.
Co-founder and chief executive Sophie Galvagnon – who was a speaker at the recent TTG Luxury Travel Summit – shared she and her fellow co-founders, Julia Bijaoui and Quentin Vacher, had long admired Tesla’s business model.
“Tesla is inspiring,” said Galvagnon. “It started off with an exclusive product and now its electric cars are everywhere. Everyone trusts Tesla now. It would be pretentious of me to say we can be like them, but Tesla is the model that inspires us at the moment.”
Selar’s sales model is a 50:50 split between direct and trade. “We want to partner with the best travel agents in the world,” Bijaoui explained. “We will always be looking to expand our network.”
However, she added: “We want to go to the market directly. We’re not just here to build ships and operate them. We want to build a strong brand. We want to sell through tour operators, travel agents and also direct to customers.”
Bijaoui said Selar had so far met with luxury travel company Black Tomato and had plans to sit down with Abercrombie & Kent soon.
Asked what a Selar passenger looked like, Bijaoui said: “Our target clientele is between 40 and 55 years old – people who want to spend money on making memories that last a lifetime. We’ll adapt to passengers’ physical fitness, but we do say that Selar is more hardcore than others.”
Spontaneous adventures
The line’s maiden programme features expeditions including Dive with Orcas in Norway and Ski and Sail in the Fjords. Prices range from £15,000 to £50,000.
Explaining the Dive with Orcas expedition, Selar said: “With no set itinerary, the crew will take you on spontaneous adventures through the unique landscapes of the Norwegian fjords: paddleboarding or kayaking, observing humpback whales and meeting locals in quaint fishing villages. As night falls, look up to witness the mesmerising northern lights.”
Selar’s vessels will have five solid sails and use 20,000 sq ft of solar panels. The ship will cruise without any noise, vibration or smell, with the line claiming a 90% reduction in carbon emissions compared with any other ships operating in Antarctica.
“This is a significant step for the maritime sector, which currently emits as much CO2 as the aviation sector – and is only increasing,” the line warns.
Bijaoui noted how difficult it is to reach zero emissions when operating “big ships”. “You have to reduce the size,” she said, adding: “If you spend eight hours on a ship, that’s going to use a lot of energy.”
