PONANT EXPLORATIONS GROUP has published its 2024 Sustainability Report, in line with the objectives set out in the Blue Horizon strategy. The Group has continued on its path towards decarbonisation and reducing its environmental impact, continuing to support scientific research and the development of local communities.
“Our 2024 Sustainability Report provides a clear picture of the progress we have made as well as the road ahead,” says Wassim Daoud, PONANT EXPLORATIONS GROUP’s Head of CSR and Sustainability. “We are continuing on our path towards decarbonisation and are taking concrete steps to reduce our environmental impact, support scientific research, and help local communities.”
Decarbonisation: 14% Reduction in CO2 Emissions
In 2024, CO2 emissions per cruise day were 14% lower than in the reference year 2018, almost half the target of reducing them by 30% by 2030. This reduction is the result of several improvements made in recent years in terms of fleet energy efficiency and the use of alternative energies.
To achieve the ambitious goal of Net Zero by 2050, PONANT EXPLORATIONS GROUP has also embarked on a programme of breakthrough innovation in naval design and propulsion. Co-funded by the European Union’s Innovation Fund (Emissions Trading System), Swap2Zero is an ambitious R&D project. Thanks to the groundbreaking use of six major decarbonisation technology building blocks, this first transoceanic vessel aims for zero CO2 eq1 emissions while in operation.
Elimination of Single-Use Plastics: 20 Tonnes of Plastic Avoided
Among the significant actions undertaken in recent years, the elimination of single-use plastics is now 100% operational with 20 tonnes of plastic waste avoided in one year. This action is in tandem with the widespread use of on-board systems for producing drinking water from seawater.
The Group is also committed to reducing and treating all waste, 100% of which is now sorted on board. Meticulous collaborative work is being carried out with stakeholders at each port of call to achieve the target of recovering 50% of waste by 2026.
Supporting Local Communities
PONANT EXPLORATIONS GROUP is committed to local communities. Taking advantage of her ice-navigation capability, Le Commandant Charcot supplies Inuit communities in Greenland from spring onwards, thereby shortening the winter isolation period by a month. In Polynesia, the m/s Paul Gauguin provides free medical consultations and care for inhabitants of the Marquesas Islands and other isolated archipelagos.
A Partnership Between the PONANT Foundation and Blue Nature Alliance
Since 2021, the PONANT Foundation has been supporting the international Blue Nature Alliance programme, which aims to develop marine protected areas around the world. The Blue Nature Alliance is a global partnership founded and led by Conservation International.
As part of this programme, since January 2022 the Foundation has been supporting a number of biodiversity preservation projects, particularly in New Caledonia, where it is leading mangrove restoration initiatives while raising awareness and empowering local communities to take the lead in these efforts.
