PONANT has obtained the Green Globe certification, “a key element of the shipping company’s commitment to ensuring the responsibility of its actions,” according to Wassim Daoud, head of CSR and Sustainability at PONANT.
The Green Globe certification has been awarded to the four sister ships of the Le Boréal, the six PONANT Explorers, Le Commandant Charcot and the sailing yacht Le Ponant.
This result rewards the commitment of all PONANT teams over the past few years to reduce their environmental footprint and contribute to more sustainable tourism.
Since 2019, the entire fleet has been using Low Sulfide Marine Gas Oil (LS-MGO) with a content of less than 0.05%, 13 times lower than current maritime standards, significantly limiting its environmental impact.
PONANT was the first cruise line in the world to abandon heavy fuel oil and support international authorities advocating for the extension of Sulfide Emission Control Areas (SECAs) to all oceans, such as the Rome Declaration.
In line with reducing its emissions, PONANT has also committed to equipping its entire fleet with catalytic systems to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and electrical grid connection systems in ports, which allows engines to be switched off.
Both technologies will be fully deployed by the end of 2026. PONANT has set a target to reduce its CO2 emissions by 30% per cruise day by 2030, compared to 2018.
The shipping company has also made significant progress in reducing waste production. A strategy to phase out single-use plastics has been underway since 2021.
This has been achieved notably through the deployment of Nordaq filtration units for the onboard production of drinking water from seawater. It is then distributed via water fountains or in recyclable glass bottles, facilitated by an onboard encapsulation chain.
In 2022, this strategy meant that almost 390,000 single-use bottles were avoided, which is equivalent to five tons of plastic (compared to 2019).
The line has also reviewed all of its onboard operations to eliminate other sources of plastic waste and continues to pursue its goal of zero single-use plastics by 2024.
Commitment to local communities
PONANT pays close attention to its impact on local communities and strives to build connections with people that go beyond commercial exchanges.
A reconnaissance mission to the Bijagos archipelago in Guinea-Bissau resulted in a program to rebuild the school in the village of Anipoc on Caravela Island, funded by the PONANT Foundation. This isolated area has been recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1996.
After meeting with the ESCAMA Foundation, which has been working with the locals for several years, the PONANT teams decided to get involved in a project that would make a difference for the school's 100 students and around 200 adults who now benefit from literacy programs.
In addition to the construction work, the PONANT Foundation is also funding teachers' salaries while the community organizes to provide them with on-site support. A strong emphasis is placed on the eco-responsible management of the school.
New season in Antarctica aboard Le Commandant Charcot
PONANT offers a gateway to Antarctica from October 2025 to March 2026, when the company's ships will travel around the White Continent throughout the austral summer.
For this new season, PONANT will be present in Antarctica throughout the austral summer, with 34 departures and 8 different itineraries from October 2025 to March 2026.
From the Antarctic Peninsula to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, the Ross Sea, the Chilean fjords and the Valdés Peninsula, the expert in polar regions offers an opportunity to discover the White Continent at different times in the life cycle of the local ecosystems, so diverse and different.
In the words of Juan Rodero, CEO of StarClass/Un Mundo de Cruceros , “ the high demand for increasingly remote and exotic travel is accompanied by an increasingly demanding commitment to sustainability, where PONANT guests demand luxury and comfort, but without giving up on caring for the environment and integration into local communities .”
Le Boréal, Le Soléal, L'Austral and Le Lyrial
From the Falkland Islands to South Georgia, passing through the pristine lands of Antarctica, PONANT's twin ships will travel the highest latitudes.
New Zealand's sub-Antarctic islands and Chilean fjords are among the dream destinations that guests can explore.
Hiking on the peninsulas and the mainland, zodiac landings, kayaking and marine wildlife observation are just some of the activities.
Aboard the sister ships, travelers will discover every facet of this region, a continent that continues to fascinate the world today.
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