Responsible cruising

RESPONSIBLE CRUISING

Swan Hellenic are passionate about our planet, and committed to preserving the world we explore for future generations. When it comes to our adventures, we believe in travel that improves the world, and always aim to leave nothing but footprints behind. Some of the areas mentioned here are covered in more detail on other pages of our website, but they’re referred to here too, to give you an overview of our unerring commitment to the beautiful planet we share.

STRINGENT STANDARDS

Shipping is the only industry to have strict global standards that cover its safety, environmental and labour aspects. Set by a United Nations agency, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), these standards are incorporated into national legislation.

• Swan Hellenic are fully compliant with the IMO’s MARPOL Convention on the prevention of pollution at sea, and also with any local regulations.
• We also adopt all the additional voluntary standards of the Cruise Lines International Association.
• This combined approach covers all types of waste and emissions (solid waste, water, air and chemicals etc.), and is reflected in our on-board recycling, high energy efficiency solutions, and Advanced Wastewater Treatment systems.

SHIP TECHNOLOGY

Our fleet of boutique ships are all designed to be as sustainably sound as possible.

• Our ships feature Tier III diesel-electric generation with Selective Catalytic Reduction units, which reduce harmful emissions, and include a Urea Injection System to reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions.
• Swan Hellenic ships feature an advanced hydrodynamic design, which means extremely high levels of fuel efficiency, achieving 20-40% lower fuel consumption than vessels built just 10-15 years ago.
• We use dynamic positioning systems, which mean we can avoid dropping anchor in fragile environments, protecting delicate ecosystems.
• Ultra-low consumption LED lighting and intelligent climate control systems are used throughout our fleet.
• We eliminate the need for bottled water by using an advanced potable water treatment system that purifies, mineralizes and carbonates freshly-prepared pure drinking water. Plus, there are water dispensers provided throughout each ship.
• Also, all of our ships are ready for a plug-in battery pack, which reduces fuel consumption, and enables extensive emission-free stays in port.

SUSTAINABLE SOURCING AND RECYCLING

All Swan Hellenic ships are built in compliance with the latest ship recycling regulations, minimizing the use of harmful environmental substances.

• The interior design of our ships prioritizes the use of sustainability-certified natural, recycled and recyclable materials, together with low-solvent textiles and surface coverings.
• Stateroom toiletries, including shampoo and body wash, are provided in reusable dispenser units made of recycled plastic.
• All toiletries and soap products provided and used are free of cocamide, EDTA, formaldehyde, parabens, silicone and colorants.
• All cleaning products used are Ecobal certified, fully biodegradable and made from raw materials of natural origin.
• Single-use plastics are reduced to an unavoidable bare minimum on board. Swan Hellenic makes every effort, working closely with supply chain partners, to continually reduce this still further.
• We use paper straws and refillable glass water bottles in our guest staterooms and refillable water carafes in our restaurants.
• Complimentary metal water bottles are provided for all guests to use on their expeditions and excursions.
• Swan Hellenic has a paperless policy, and where unavoidable aims to print on recycled or forest-certified paper. We support this policy by providing comprehensive information on our stateroom Smart TV system and Smartphone App.
• All onboard waste is recycled in accordance with the latest MARPOL regulations.
• We only use World Wildlife Fund approved sustainable fish, and source the food we serve locally whenever possible.

STATEROOMS AND CREW

• Stateroom sheets are changed every three days and towels every day except where guests indicate they would prefer less frequent changes.
• Swan Hellenic uniform policy avoids all use of fleece fabrics, which shed high volumes of microplastics when washed.
• All Swan Hellenic crews and staff follow strict procedures to minimize our environmental footprint wherever we visit.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• All our sustainability commitments are aligned with the latest advances, which Swan Hellenic monitors constantly to ensure a steadily reducing environmental footprint.
• We have an Officer with specific responsibility for environmental matters on every ship in our fleet, both to ensure full compliance with all the above and to actively support continuous improvement.