AmaWaterways reveals details of its efforts to explore new tools designed to improve the sustainability of river cruises by minimizing fuel consumption.
The company has committed to finding new ways to reduce its environmental footprint, including using solar panels on board its ships, testing navigation assistance tools to optimize fuel consumption, reducing paper on board through the MyAmaCruise app, and addressing the significant problem of food waste.
Rudi Schreiner, co-founder and president of AmaWaterways, stated: “Sustainability is the primary responsibility of all companies in the travel industry. Every one of our ships and every itinerary we run is carefully designed to minimize fuel consumption, but the impact we have on local communities is also of paramount importance to us.”
In 2019, AmaKristina became the first river cruise ship in the industry to receive the prestigious Green Award, which recognizes ships in Europe for their quality, safety, and environmental performance. Since then, 19 other river cruise ships in AmaWaterways' European fleet have also earned the Green Award certification.
This year, the AmaMagna will debut solar panels on the awnings of some cabins, reducing fuel consumption related to cabin heating and cooling. A new River Track Pilot navigation system is also being tested on several vessels to further optimize fuel consumption based on riverbed configuration and current conditions.
In addition, AmaWaterways is addressing the growing concern about food waste and has replaced breakfast and lunch buffets with full-service à la carte menus, which is expected to reduce food waste by up to 30%, while providing a higher level of service to guests.
Although the operation of sustainable and environmentally friendly vessels is fundamental for AmaWaterways, both Zambezi Queen and AmaMagna go further with ecological features.
Since its inception over 20 years ago, AmaWaterways has always focused on connecting with the communities it visits and making a positive impact through employment opportunities, as well as utilizing local service providers whenever possible. AmaWaterways is also the proud sponsor of the ODA Free Village English School in Siem Reap, Cambodia, established in 2011, and a financial supporter of the Kliptown youth program in Johannesburg, South Africa, which offers academic tutoring and arts programs to help local youth escape poverty.
“From the design of our ships to the eco-friendly measures we have adopted on board and on land, AmaWaterways continues to explore new ways to enhance our sustainable tourism efforts,” said Kristin Karst, co-founder and executive vice president of AmaWaterways.
