SINGAPORE, 31 July 2025: While the cruise industry continues to move toward reducing reliance on single-use plastics, Ponant Explorations’ Green Globe Certified fleet is taking measurable action through its ambitious ‘Zero Plastic’ initiative and broader sustainability commitments.
As of April 2025, the entire fleet, including MS Paul Gauguin, is equipped with Nordaq filtration systems, a self-serve water fountain that enables water to be bottled on board in recyclable glass containers for use in both staterooms and restaurants, effectively eliminating the need for the use of plastic water bottles.
Such efforts have led to the avoidance of more than 820,000 plastic water bottles, representing 20 tonnes of plastic waste compared to 2019 usage. On ships equipped with Nordaq systems, this has translated to a more than 90% reduction in single-use plastic, with remaining usage due to transition periods and rare operational exceptions in remote regions.
Extending beyond water, the Zero Plastic initiative has seen all plastic straws, cups, laundry bags, and single-serve food packaging phased out, resulting in the weight of single-use plastic decreasing from 0.63 kg per guest per operation in 2020 to just 0.006 kg in 2024. Each guest is provided with a reusable water bottle to support both convenience and environmental awareness during their journey, which they can then take home as a souvenir.
Ponant Explorations is also a proud signatory of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative since 2021, led by the UNWTO, reflecting its long-term commitment to sustainable tourism and the transition to circular plastic economies.
“As the travel industry evolves, initiatives like these are setting a new benchmark for responsible cruising,” Ponant CEO Asia Pacific Deb Corbett said.
“This approach alone saves nearly one million plastic bottles each year, which is the equivalent of more than 20 tonnes of plastic. Ponant Explorations proves that it’s possible to choose a more sustainable way to see the world without compromising on the comfort or experience of luxury on each voyage,” she concluded.
