By
Alex Smith |
Quark Expeditions has released its first annual Sustainability Report, providing analysis of the expedition cruise company’s progress towards the goals set out in its ‘Polar Promise’ strategy for responsible operation in the polar regions.
Among the report’s findings was a 28% reduction of carbon emissions from the operator’s ships since 2010. The company also recycled 270.04 cubic metres of waste while participating in the first year of SeaLand’s SeaGreen Initiative, as well as making donations totalling US$500,000 to polar research and conservation organisations.
“Last April, we unveiled our sustainability strategy under the title ‘Polar Promise,’ which is the most comprehensive and holistic strategy of its kind in the polar expedition industry,” said Lyndsey Lewis, operations and sustainability manager for Quark Expeditions. “Quark Expeditions’ first annual Sustainability Report, a key deliverable in our Polar Promise strategy, reflects our ongoing commitment to responsible travel in the polar regions. This comprehensive report establishes a baseline – and culture – of accountability in the Arctic and Antarctic.”
The Polar Promise strategy has been based upon the framework of four main pillars. They include: Principles, which aim to embed responsible business practices within Quark Expeditions; Planet, which concerns the reduction of the company’s environmental footprint; Partnerships, which aims to increase community engagement, and ‘Positive Impact’, which sets out the ambition to make travel to the polar regions more beneficial than it is damaging.
“These pillars define our measurable goals,” said Lewis. “For instance, given these robust plans, Quark Expeditions will reduce carbon emissions by roughly 10% per passenger by 2025, by which time we also plan to work exclusively with suppliers, vendors and external partners who share our commitment to sustainability in the polar regions.”
Quark Expeditions’ new ship Ultramarine, launching in 2021, will also include several features aimed at improving its sustainability. These include the Micro Auto Gasification System, which converts waste into energy, a heat recovery system and a hull design that ensures low resistance.
Read the full report here.