Swan Hellenic has announced the appointment of Pierre Thomas as director of expedition operations.

The relaunched cruise line said that Thomas – who has more than 26 years of experience in the expedition sector across brands such as Lindblad, Silversea, Metropolitan Touring and Noble Caledonia– will create a “cultural expedition experience both on and off-board”.

Thomas lectures in five languages and has led expeditions on the water, under the water and overland by motorbike.

He has spoken on a range of topics, including tropical fish, African history, the Panama Canal and Central American Post-World War II politics.

Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito said: “We are excited to welcome Pierre on board. With his tremendous experience and strong relationships with international experts in their fields, nobody could be better placed to ensure our guests enjoy a unique cultural expedition experience, both on and off-board, that truly befits Swan Hellenic’s pioneering heritage.”

Thomas added: “I’m delighted to join the dynamic team bringing the Swan Hellenic vision of cultural expedition cruising to life across a tremendous new five-star fleet. I look forward to contributing to the creation of a truly unique discovery experience – geographical, scientific, natural, cultural and artistic.”

Swan Hellenic recently signed an agreement with the Helsinki Shipyard for the construction of a third Vega-class ship. The ship will carry 192 guests and feature an ice-strengthened hull and battery technology to operate in almost total silence, according to a statement.

The line added that the procurement of the main equipment is underway, and constriction will follow a “fast-track schedule”.

Earlier this year Swan Hellenic held the keel-laying ceremony for the first ship in the fleet, SH Minerva.

The vessel is expected to be delivered in November 2021. It will be followed by the second in April 2022 and the third at the end of 2022.