13 in dry dock at the same location over a short amount of time, there is potential for shared thinking around logistics and materials reuse. The more coordinated these conversations become across the industry, the easier it will be to turn innovation into the new normal.” As part of its commitment to designing sustainable interiors, Holland America Line has “intentionally structured” its team and appointed both a sustainability coordinator and a procurement manager. “They report directly to me and work alongside our designers and project managers,” says Nguyen. “This creates stronger alignment on specifications and clearer accountability with partners. We are still in early phases, so I can’t make specific commitments yet, but sustainability is a constant in our design discussions. Working with the right partners and communities can lead to legacy materials being reused or upcycled, which reduces waste. Meanwhile, thinking ahead circularly can help us make the best material choices and bring exciting new interiors to life.” Despite being steadfast in her commitment to prioritising sustainability wherever possible, Nguyen acknowledges it will be difficult during such a largescale renovation project. “Time is always a challenge, particularly when innovation needs to happen at scale and within fixed dry dock schedules,” she says. “While there are strong sustainable products in the market today, the industry needs more variety and availability. It can also take time to change mindsets when it comes to topics such as waste management. Real impact happens when all key stakeholders are willing to champion innovation and develop unique solutions to approach familiar processes in slightly different ways.” According to Nguyen, the solution to overcoming these barriers lies in a broader view of sustainability. “When evaluating materials and solutions, we look at sustainability holistically rather than through a single metric while considering factors such as durability, maintainability, regulatory requirements, material transparency and opportunities for reuse or recycling at end of life,” she says. “Cost and transportation impacts are part of those conversations as well, and often the best solutions come from balancing multiple priorities rather than optimising for just one. Our goal is to continue building partnerships that allow us to test, learn and evolve these approaches in a practical, scalable way.” Nguyen predicts cross-sector collaboration will help the industry Holland America Line will expand accommodation options and introduce 30 staterooms purpose-built for solo travellers on Oosterdam
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