The French company and luxury travel brand Ponant has recently achieved certification under the esteemed Green Globe International Standard for Sustainable Travel and Tourism. This accolade follows a thorough assessment of Ponant's operational sustainability.
The certification process scrutinized 44 criteria and 380 indicators, structured around 4 core pillars: sustainable management, social and economic performance, cultural heritage, and environmental stewardship.
Ponant's fleet, including the Explorer-class vessels, Le Commandant Charcot icebreaker, and the sailing yacht Le Ponant, has been duly certified.
Since 2019, Ponant has been utilizing LS-MGO (Low-Sulphur Marine Gas Oil) with a sulfur content below 0.05% fleetwide. Furthermore, the company is in the process of outfitting its vessels with catalytic systems/scrubbers (to mitigate NOx emissions) and shore-power systems (to minimize energy consumption in seaports). These technologies are scheduled for implementation by the end of 2026.
Ponant has committed to reducing its carbon dioxide/COx emissions by 30% cruise day by 2030 compared to 2018.
In an ongoing effort to reduce its environmental footprint, Ponant has been phasing out single-use plastics since 2021. This includes the deployment of Nordaq filtration units for onboard production of drinking water from seawater. The water is dispensed through water fountains and recyclable glass bottles, resulting in a reduction of ~390,000 single-use bottles in 2022 compared to 2019. Ponant aims to eliminate single-use plastics entirely by 2024.
Furthermore, Ponant has undertaken initiatives to positively impact local communities. For instance, a scouting mission in the Bijagos archipelago in Guinea Bissau led to a program funded by the Ponant Foundation to rebuild the school in Anipoc on Caravela Island. This initiative will benefit approximately one hundred pupils and around 200 adult learners participating in literacy programs. Ponant is also contributing to teachers' salaries as the community strives to provide on-site support.