By
Alex Smith |
Ponant have become the first cruise line to achieve certification for the Green Globe International Standard for Sustainable Travel and Tourism after an assessment of the sustainability of its operations.
The standard examines 44 criteria and 380 indicators organised around four pillars: sustainable management, social and economic performance, cultural heritage and the environment. Certification was awarded to all of Ponant’s ships, including the four Le Boreal series ships, the six Ponant Explorer, expedition ship Le Commandant Charcot and sailing yacht Le Ponant.
“Green Globe certification, a global tourism industry standard, is a key element of our commitment to ensuring accountability for our actions. It’s important for our guests and also for continuing to encourage the whole maritime sector to realise its environmental transition,” says Wassim Daoud, head of corporate social responsibility and sustainability at Ponant. “What sets this certification apart is that it is based on continuous improvement. While our goal this year was to obtain it, the major challenge in the coming years will be to keep it”.
Since 2019, Ponant’s entire fleet has been using Low-Sulphur Marine Gas Oil, which has a sulphur content below 0.05 per cent. The cruise line is also equipping its ships with catalytic systems to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions and shore power connection systems to reduce energy use in ports, with both technologies set to be deployed by the end of 2026. Ponant has set itself a target to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 30 per cent per cruise day by 2030 compared to 2018.
The company has also been phasing out single-use plastics since 2021, including with the deployment of Nordaq filtration units for onboard production of drinking water from seawater. The water is then distributed via water fountains and recylclable glass bottles, saving nearly 390,000 single-use bottles in 2022 compared to 2019. Ponant aims to use zero single-use plastics in 2024.
In addition, Ponant has launched initiatives to improve its impact on local communities, including a scouting mission in the Bijagos archipelago in Guinea Bissau that resulted in a programme to rebuild the school in Anipoc on Caravela Island, funded by the Ponant Foundation. The school will serve its one hundred pupils and around 200 adult learners benefitting on literacy programmes. Ponant is also funding teachers’ salaries while the community looks to provide on-site support.