Maritime sustainability is something we should all try and work towards to protect our beautiful seas and the planet. We can all do our part to keep our oceans green!
Emeric, our CSR manager, has put together 6 easy-to-apply tips to help you reduce and properly manage your waste during your cruise. Even if these tips may seem obvious at times, it is always important to remember them to develop the right habits.
1. Reduce your packaging
To recycle well means to reduce the amount of packaging! Avoid over-packaging when refuelling. Think of removing all the remaining packaging and throwing it in the appropriate garbage cans in the port before embarking. This will give you less to manage on board during the cruise.
Boaters in the Mediterranean know that one of the most important points of provisioning is water! Choose 5L cans to avoid having dozens of plastic bottles. Remember to take containers with a tap to easily fill the crew’s water bottles, and make sure that they are reusable to fill them during your stopovers.
2. Sort your waste
Unless you achieve zero waste, there will always be waste on board. Managing your waste properly will allow you to have a more enjoyable cruise.
To sort your waste on board, you can use a large shopping bag for cardboard and packaging, reserve a bucket for organic waste (which you can throw into the sea!) and a box for glass. You will find recycling garbage cans during your stopovers in the ports or at the end of your cruise.
3. Use biodegradable products
There are some types of waste that we don’t think about as much because we don’t throw them in the garbage, such as cleaning and hygiene products. The best thing is to use biodegradable cleaning products, shower gels, shampoos or sun creams that respect our dear sea.
There are even soaps or shampoos that can be used with seawater, perfect for taking a shower on deck and at the same time using less fresh water!
4. Do not throw anything overboard!
This seems obvious, but it is always good to remember. Remembering simple things like leaving a rubbish bin open on the deck overnight can result in a gust of wind blowing all your rubbish into the ocean.
Smokers can use closed ashtrays, as the butts won’t fly away, and the smell won’t be as strong.
5. Collect the litter
If you come across floating waste (nets, plastic bags, plastic bottles…), manoeuvre to collect it! This way, you will have the opportunity to make a small gesture for the planet while training your crew to manoeuvre at sea!
You can also organize a waste collection on a beach, a fun activity to occupy your children during a stopover…
6. Support the local economy
Buy fresh products in local markets: seasonal fruits and vegetables, seafood directly from fishermen… You will support the local economy while limiting packaging! Check out our blog post on some easy recipe ideas for cooking on board here.
We also advise you to ask your base manager if the crew can collect your leftover food at the end of the cruise and to pay attention to the quantities they buy as provisioning.
You can now prepare for your future cruise with these tips in mind. Remembering to manage your waste on board does not prevent you from enjoying your cruise. On the contrary, bad management can quickly deteriorate the atmosphere on board, and all these gestures allow you to acquire good practices which are as useful on board a boat as in everyday life!
