The keel of the Orient Express Olympian was laid today at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France.

According to a press release, the milestone marked the start of the assembly phase of the construction of the second vessel of Orient Express Yachts, a subsidiary of the Accor Group.

A traditional coin ceremony was held to celebrate the new phase of the building process, which started with the cutting of the first plate on January 30, 2025.

As part of the celebration, newly minted coins were placed on the first steel block to wish the ship good fortune during its construction and all its future voyages.

Chantiers de l’Atlantique said that the placementof the first block was carried out by one of the two gantries the shipyard has.

The operation involved positioning the first of the 17 blocks that will make up the metal hull of the yacht on the supports.

Chantiers de l’Atlantique is also building the Orient Express Corinthian, which is set to be delivered in 2026.

The shipyard stated that the milestone in the construction of the second vessel marks the continuation of the partnership between Orient Express and Chantiers de l’Atlantique.

“(This) collaboration pushes the boundaries of exceptional travel and the mastery of naval engineering,” the shipbuilder said.

Chantiers de l’Atlantique highlighted the features of the Olympian, including its SolidSail system and what it called a “blend of technology and tradition.”

Along with the Orient Express Corinthian, the vessel will be one of the two largest sailing yachts in the world.

With its SolidSails, it will be able to reduce emissions through three self-supporting and tiltable masts, as well as 4,500 square meters of sails.

Depending on conditions, the technology will allow for propulsion solely by sail or combined with engines running on LNG. The rigging is fully automated from the bridge, the shipyard noted.

Other technical features of the ship include advanced dynamic positioning technology that will enable it to maintain its position in bays without dropping anchor.

Chantiers also stated that the Olympian will sail on routes calculated using routing solutions from offshore racing in order to allow for the full utilization of wind power.

Together, these features offer the capacity to go beyond current regulatory requirements for environmental protection.

Set to debut in the Mediterranean in May 2026, the Orient Express Corinthian is set to undergo sea trials in December, the shipyard added.