CRUISE GPS
Protecting Our Planet
Ten ways PONANT is making sustainability and conservation top priorities.
CRUISE GPS
Protecting Our Planet
Ten ways PONANT is making sustainability and conservation top priorities.
“Take only photographs, leave only footprints.”
For most of us, that’s a mantra we do our best to follow. But for PONANT, it’s a requisite. They take guests to the most remote and untouched places on the planet, where the ecosystems are often the most fragile. For that, PONANT has developed a host of innovative, earth-first programs and products—all designed to protect the environments that the ships explore.
1. Size matters. Smaller ships naturally have a smaller impact, which is why PONANT ships are built with no more than 132 staterooms.
2. Reduced emissions. All of PONANT‘s fleet, except for the wind-powered Le Ponant, are equipped with hybrid propulsion systems, allowing them to run on electric batteries while in port. PONANT has even committed to building a cruise ship that aims to have zero greenhouse gas emissions, expected to launch in 2030.
3. Efficient navigation. To limit fuel use, PONANT uses a navigation assistance program that adapts engine power to local conditions.
4. Plastic purge. Still and sparkling water is delivered to the staterooms daily in reusable glass bottles. Guests also receive a reusable stainless-steel water bottle which they can easily refill using the ships state of the art Nordaq system.
5. Portside recycling. PONANT collects glass, cartons, and other recyclables for processing at specific ports. The company also traces its waste to ensure compliance and minimize any inefficiencies.
6. Wildlife conservation. The entire PONANT fleet is among the quietest at sea in order to limit disruption of natural behavior. Naturalist guides use seabed detector technology to alert ship captains when marine life is present in the area—speed is then reduced to minimize any disturbance.
7. Scientific research. PONANT partners with several scientific research organizations, allowing biologists, geographers, oceanographers, climatologists, and ethnologists to conduct experiments onboard its ships. Le Commandant Charcot houses 2 laboratories and has dedicated space for independent scientific research to happen alongside expeditions. The data provides a better understanding of how to protect marine ecosystems.
8. Community benefit. When visiting ports, the customs and traditions of Indigenous people are of utmost importance. Community leaders help craft guest experiences for passenger enrichment and beneficial impact on the local economy.
9. Ongoing education. Just as the climate continues to change, so too does information and research regarding the best ways to protect it. PONANT stays on top of best practices and ensures ship officers and guides have a thorough understanding of any new regulations and requirements on everything from waste management and water treatment to new ways to reduce emissions and protect biodiversity.
10. Foundational strength. A portion of PONANT’s profits support the PONANT Foundation, which in turn provides financial assistance to organizations working to preserve oceans, advance science, and interact with indigenous populations.
Experience a meaningful voyage via PONANT.
“Take only photographs, leave only footprints.”
For most of us, that’s a mantra we do our best to follow. But for PONANT, it’s a requisite. They take guests to the most remote and untouched places on the planet, where the ecosystems are often the most fragile. For that, PONANT has developed a host of innovative, earth-first programs and products—all designed to protect the environments that the ships explore.
1. Size matters. Smaller ships naturally have a smaller impact, which is why PONANT ships are built with no more than 132 staterooms.
2. Reduced emissions. All of PONANT‘s fleet, except for the wind-powered Le Ponant, are equipped with hybrid propulsion systems, allowing them to run on electric batteries while in port. PONANT has even committed to building a cruise ship that aims to have zero greenhouse gas emissions, expected to launch in 2030.
3. Efficient navigation. To limit fuel use, PONANT uses a navigation assistance program that adapts engine power to local conditions.
4. Plastic purge. Still and sparkling water is delivered to the staterooms daily in reusable glass bottles. Guests also receive a reusable stainless-steel water bottle which they can easily refill using the ships state of the art Nordaq system.
5. Portside recycling. PONANT collects glass, cartons, and other recyclables for processing at specific ports. The company also traces its waste to ensure compliance and minimize any inefficiencies.
6. Wildlife conservation. The entire PONANT fleet is among the quietest at sea in order to limit disruption of natural behavior. Naturalist guides use seabed detector technology to alert ship captains when marine life is present in the area—speed is then reduced to minimize any disturbance.
7. Scientific research. PONANT partners with several scientific research organizations, allowing biologists, geographers, oceanographers, climatologists, and ethnologists to conduct experiments onboard its ships. Le Commandant Charcot houses 2 laboratories and has dedicated space for independent scientific research to happen alongside expeditions. The data provides a better understanding of how to protect marine ecosystems.
8. Community benefit. When visiting ports, the customs and traditions of Indigenous people are of utmost importance. Community leaders help craft guest experiences for passenger enrichment and beneficial impact on the local economy.
9. Ongoing education. Just as the climate continues to change, so too does information and research regarding the best ways to protect it. PONANT stays on top of best practices and ensures ship officers and guides have a thorough understanding of any new regulations and requirements on everything from waste management and water treatment to new ways to reduce emissions and protect biodiversity.
10. Foundational strength. A portion of PONANT’s profits support the PONANT Foundation, which in turn provides financial assistance to organizations working to preserve oceans, advance science, and interact with indigenous populations.
Experience a meaningful voyage via PONANT.
MORE STORIES
What to Read Next
What to Read Next
Room Key
Exclusive privileges from our Hotels & Resorts Collection ensure vacations of a lifetime.
Room Key
Palazzo Cordusio, a Gran Meliá Hotel is a study in rich heritage and sustainable renovation.
I have always been a Geography and Map Fanatic. I own a very large and well-utilized National Geographic Atlas in which I have recorded many notes and personal trips and routed out my journeys by ships, planes, trains, and cycling. I refer to it frequently in putting together my clients' trips and itineraries, as well as my own.
Going back to the time when I was a little girl, I have either lived just a few yards from the ocean or relatively close to it. I liked watching ships and wanted to know what life was like on the other side of the ocean. I was fascinated that my Grandmother came to the US on a ship as a teenage girl together with her sister from Ireland. Before my grandparents met in the US, my Grandfather from Ireland worked as a cowboy and copper miner in Montana at the turn of the 20th Century. They had many National Geographic issues at their home which I loved looking at. These impressions, plus taking my first cruise, all eventually led me to the cruise and travel ...