Lindblad Expeditions now operates the first self-disenfecting fleet in the cruise industry, the company claimed.
The cruise and tour company is implementing Premium Purity fleetwide, a cleaning system, which creates a cleaner, healthier ship while drastically reducing the impact on the environment, it said.
The new system, the patented ACT CleanCoat, is a photocatalytic process that works when illuminated, breaking down unwanted microbes such as bacteria, viruses, mold, and airborne allergens.
It can be applied to all surfaces, which become self-disinfecting after application. Created by ACT.Global, a Copenhagen-based company, the anti-bacterial spray is transparent, odourless, and activated by light, and protects a room like an invisible insulation – plus purifies and deodorises the air for up to one year.
Chemical free, the product uses the ACT ECA water system created by electrolysis of salt and water, to clean the rooms which is completely harmless to guests, staff and the environment.
The fleetwide rollout is another step in Lindblad’s commitment towards defining travel industry standards for sustainability and environmentally responsible operations. In 2019 it became a carbon neutral company, offsetting 100% of emissions from the ships, all land-based operations, employee travel, offices in New York and Seattle, and other contributors. Lindblad also eliminated guest-facing single-use plastics fleetwide in 2018 and have operated a sustainable seafood programme on board the fleet for many years.
“As the oldest and most experienced expedition travel company in the world, we go to some of the most pristine places on the planet. We are very conscious of the waste we produce, and how the cleanliness of our ship and protection of our guests onboard is vital to a healthy environment,” said Bruce Tschampel, Lindblad Expreditions’ Vice President, Hotel Operations.
“Premium Purity is unlike anything we have seen out there. Our ships are truly pristine and healthy, and we already have measurable results to prove it from our initial pilot programme on one ship. We reduced guest reported illness by 50%; eliminated over 1,000 plastic bottles of cleaning products; and dramatically reduced water usage by 1.1 mill gallons per year. The crew is raving about how much healthier the ship is and how effective it is to use this solution,” he added.
The fleetwide rollout is another step in Lindblad’s commitment toward defining travel industry standards for sustainability and environmentally responsible operations, the company said.
In 2019, Lindblad became a carbon neutral company, offsetting 100% of emissions from the ships, all land-based operations, employee travel, offices in New York and Seattle, and other contributors.
The company also successfully eliminated guest-facing single-use plastics fleetwide in 2018 and has operated a sustainable seafood programme on board the ships for many years.
Other related sustainability initiatives include building new ships that reduce emissions while increasing efficiency; mandating supply chain solutions to eliminate plastic; sourcing and serving local, organic produce; making crew uniforms from recycled plastic, and more.
