Expedition cruise ship operator, PONANT has reported steady progress towards its sustainability goals.
In its 2023 Sustainability Report, the company claimed that significant strides on its commitment to redefine tourism were made.
From eco-friendly innovations to tangible reductions in its environmental footprint, PONANT said it was trying to push boundaries and set new standards for meaningful and more sustainable travel.
“Although we are proud of our accomplishments, we acknowledge that the journey toward sustainable tourism is ongoing. Through innovation and collaboration, PONANT aims to set the highest industry standard for more accountable and transparent sustainability practices,” said Wassim Daoud, PONANT’s Head of CSR and Sustainability (pictured).
The three-pronged sustainability roadmap – dubbed Blue Horizon – focuses on reducing environmental footprint and enhances positive contribution, leveraging the best available technologies.
Alongside ongoing on board initiatives, PONANT’s R&D team is working on firm projects towards carbon neutrality.
Four examples of the achievements thus far include:
- Reduction in CO2 Emissions. By investing in a modern fleet, PONANT has achieved an 11% reduction in CO2 emissions per cruise day compared to the 2018 benchmark year.
Last year, the company trialled the use of B100 biofuel, which generates 90% less CO2 emissions than fossil fuels. With 12 vessels already certified for biofuel use, PONANT has laid the groundwork for reaching the 2050 goal of net zero emissions.
In autumn 2023, ‘Le Champlain’ trialled the B100 biofuel, produced by recycling used edible oils collected in France. Run by ALTENS, the test was a first for France.
- Zero Plastic Objective: Drinking water treatment and bottling on board PONANT’s wastewater treatment systems and strict on board waste sorting practices continued to make a positive impact.
A full 100% of on board waste is now separated and sorted on the vessels.
Last year, 73% of on board drinking water was generated from seawater through the Nordaq filtering system, which is installed on 92% of the fleet.
Single use plastics were reduced, and more than 20 tonnes were avoided fleet-wide.
After a trial on ‘Le Commandant Charcot’ in 2021, 92% of the ships were equipped with a Nordaq filtration system in 2022 that produces drinking water from seawater and is available from water fountains.
For restaurants and staterooms, all guests are offered good quality drinking water bottled on board in recyclable glass containers without using any plastic.
Results since the fountains were installed: nearly 820,000 plastic water bottles avoided in 2023, compared to 2019, and a drop of over 90% of single-use plastic usage on average on ships with fountains.
- Support for local communities: A key part of PONANT’s sustainability commitment is to build partnerships with the communities encountered. In French Polynesia, the ‘Paul Gauguin’ brought doctors and nurses to visit remote communities.
Going forward, the programme will provide 40 medical consultations per year in French Polynesia.
A partnership has been set up with the Royal Arctic Line to enable ‘Le Commandant Charcot’ to deliver food supplies to Inuit communities during the season when Royal Arctic Line supply ships are unable to do this.
This is how the village of Tasiilaq in Greenland was able to get supplies in May, 2023 and emerge from its winter isolation a month early thanks to the intervention of ‘Le Commandant Charcot’ and the vessel’s icebreaking capabilities.
- PONANT Science Programme: PONANT continues to support research into marine ecosystems and environmental changes.
Hosting 31 scientific missions during 2023, ‘Le Commandant Charcot’ has two dedicated scientific laboratories (wet and dry) and equipment to facilitate various research activities during voyages to the Polar regions.
The science budget for the year was €2.2 mill, up from €2 mill in 2022. More than 175 researchers have been hosted on board PONANT vessels since 2021.
PONANT’s science programme will be expanded in 2025 to include more vessels, enhancing support for scientific research across different remote areas of the globe.
