Being the world leader in exploration travel — and the world’s largest expedition cruise company — comes with great responsibility. With the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals as a framework, and a company mission focused on innovation, technology, and concrete measures, sustainability is inherent in every detail of a Hurtigruten expedition.
As we enter a new era of expedition cruising and adventure travel driven by sustainability, Hurtigruten aims to raise and set standards for the entire cruise industry.
Hurtigruten’s overall business and operations reflect many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by all U.N. Member States in 2015. Our sustainability ambitions are directly linked to goals regarding responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, and more. This is why core to Hurtigruten’s mission is to not only have a positive impact on the cruise industry but on society as a whole.
Hurtigruten’s sustainability focus has many facets, including leaving a smaller footprint:
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Minimizing the impact of ship, crew, and guests on the environment:
Fifteen (15) metric tons of plastic ends in the world oceans every minute of the day. If the trend continues, this number will double in the next 10 years. This means that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans.
“Plastic pollution is the single biggest threat our oceans. Hurtigruten operates in some of the most vulnerable areas in the world. This means that we carry a special responsibility to protect these areas for the local population and future generations of explorers,” Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam (at left) says.
Hurtigruten guests and crew frequently clean beaches of plastic pollution and marine litter in remote and pristine areas. Since July of 2018 Hurtigruten has imposed a ban on all unnecessary single use plastic on all of the company’s ships. Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam is hoping others will follow.
As the largest expedition cruise company in the world and the most important player in both the Arctic and Antarctica, we take the responsibility to lead by example and move the industry, and world, forward.
Supporting preservation of local culture and customs — and the year-round prosperity and long-term development of all the places Hurtigruten visits — are a way to ensure sustainable use of vulnerable areas and authentic experiences. For instance:
Supporting local economies and contributing to the livelihoods and welfare of small coastal societies is part of our DNA. Things we do, for instance:
Hurtigruten cruise ships minimize Carbon emissions through nearly 30 different savings measures. For instance:
The human factor: providing a diversified and safe work environment — While Hurtigruten works to enhance the destinations we visit, we also continously strive to enhance our own organization. We are absolutely certain that a diversified working environment is essential for us to succeed.