The Aranui 5 recently completed its tenth year of service, having departed on its maiden voyage on December 8, 2015.
Designed to transport both passengers and freight, the Aranui 5 was built at the Huanghai Shipbuilding Yard in Shandong, China.
Replacing the Aranui 3, the 254-guest ship was commissioned during a special ceremony in Papeete before embarking on a 14-night voyage to the Marquesas Islands.
The event was attended by local authorities, including French Polynesia’s High Commissioner Lionel Beffre and President Édouard Fritch.
After its inaugural sailing, the Aranui 5 continued to operate regular itineraries around French Polynesia and the South Pacific.
In 2025, the vessel offered 22 voyages, including three special sailings to the Austral Islands, an archipelago described by Aranui as an “untouched and mysterious, off-the-beaten-path land.”
Similar itineraries are set to be offered in 2026, including 20 voyages to the Marquesas Islands and four sailings to the Austral Islands. The schedule is also highlighted by a short cruise to the Tuamotu Islands in May.
In addition to offering enhanced accommodation and public areas for guests, the Aranui 5 also increased Aranui’s cargo capacity by approximately 30 percent.
In early 2025, the Aranui 5 sailed to Chile to undergo a two-week drydock as part of its routine maintenance schedule.
According to the Sociber Shipyard, the 7,500-ton vessel underwent routine maintenance and a technical overhaul, in addition to class and repair work.
A few months earlier, the Aranui 5 served as a floating athlete village during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
Anchored in the fishing village of Teahupo’o, the vessel served as a floating hotel for sports delegations participating in the surfing competitions, which took place in French Polynesia.
In related news, Aranui is now getting ready to welcome a second dual-purpose ship to its fleet: the Aranoa.
Currently under construction in China, the 198-passenger vessel is scheduled to enter service for the company in early 2027