Aranui 5

The Aranui 5 (IMO 9677492) is a combined passenger and cargo ship operated by Compagnie Polynésienne de Transport Maritime. It combines cruises with the supply of the Marquesas and other island groups of French Polynesia. The operator says the ship accommodates approximately 230 passengers in 103 cabins; the Polynesian maritime authority lists it as licensed for 299 passengers in 2022. The operator gives the ship’s dimensions as 126 m long and 22 m wide. The French fleet list records a gross tonnage of 11,468.

Ship and onboard facilities

As a supply ship, the Aranui 5 transports goods to the islands and carries island products on the return journeys. The Polynesian authorities’ 2022 statistics record around 20,156 tonnes of total cargo carried by the ship on outbound and return trips: approximately 17,543 tonnes outbound and 2,613 tonnes on the return. Outbound cargo includes food, construction materials, fuel and other goods; return cargo includes products such as copra, seafood and agricultural produce. The authorities’ overview also lists a cargo capacity of 3,000 tonnes or 5,478 cubic metres, space for 16 refrigerated or frozen containers, and two cranes, each with a lifting capacity of 36 tonnes. These technical figures complement the statistics on the goods actually carried, without equating them with annual cargo volumes.

The operator describes eight guest decks and lists a restaurant, three bars, a lounge, two conference rooms, an outdoor pool, a fitness room, a shop, a library, a spa and a tattoo studio. Cabins range from outside cabins with balconies to simpler outside cabins with a window or porthole. Another category consists of shared Class C cabins for four or eight people. The operator gives a cruising speed of 15 knots and lists the ship as sailing under the French flag.

Travel in Polynesia

Voyages depart from Papeete and head to the Marquesas; published itineraries also include islands in the Tuamotu and Society Islands. The operator lists multi-day itineraries for 2026 and 2027, including a 12-day, 11-night voyage from 7 to 18 November 2026 and a 13-day, 12-night voyage from 23 January to 4 February 2027. The specific islands visited and the length of stays depend on the itinerary. As a regional umbrella term, the South Pacific encompasses a range of island destinations and routes.

An official statistic for the 2022 round trip from Papeete lists Fakarava, Nuku Hiva, Ua Huka, Ua Pou, Hiva Oa, Tahuata, Fatu Hiva, Rangiroa and Bora Bora. The recorded route covers a total of 2,008 nautical miles; at 15 knots, the estimated sailing time is 133 hours and 52 minutes. This figure refers to calculated time at sea, not the total length of the trip. The route illustrates the nature of this voyage: lengthy crossings between islands are combined with stops at several island ports and anchorages. At the same time, cargo transport remains a defining part of the ship’s operation, connecting the passenger voyage with the supply of the remote Marquesas.