We operate in some of the most climate-sensitive places on Earth. From the polar regions to the tropics, these ecosystems are rich in biodiversity. But they are also under pressure. Rising temperatures, melting ice, ocean acidification and pollution are changing these ecosystems. Visiting them is a privilege, and it carries responsibility.
For many years, our climate work has focused on measuring our footprint, reducing emissions where we can and offsetting the remainder. We became Carbon Neutral certified in 2021 and supported projects ranging from native forest protection in Tasmania to peatland conservation in Indonesia and rainforest conservation in Papua New Guinea. That work mattered. But the world is changing, and the climate crisis is accelerating.
Current efforts across the travel sector are not moving fast enough to match the pace of change. We believe businesses should continue to fund projects that protect nature and tackle climate change. But the carbon offsetting market faces real challenges around transparency, accountability and consistency. Quality varies widely, and even the best credits do not change the fact that emissions are still produced.
Expedition cruising carries high emissions, and scalable reduction options are limited. That means we need to invest in research, development and trials to accelerate solutions. Offsets can be a distraction from the harder, more urgent work of cutting emissions at the source.
That is why we are entering a new chapter in our climate journey. One built on three pillars:
Decarbonisation
In 2025, the M/V Sylvia Earle became the first Infinity class vessel to trial Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, a biofuel made entirely from waste cooking oil. Over several days, the ship operated on 100% HVO. According to the fuel’s sustainability documentation, this achieved an approximate 90% reduction in fuel-related emissions compared with standard marine fuel. While availability and cost remain barriers, the trial provided valuable insights that will inform future trials and help accelerate adoption.
Our purpose-built ships already feature the Ulstein X BOW® design to reduce fuel consumption, virtual anchoring to avoid damage to delicate marine habitats and selective catalytic reduction to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. These innovations are only the start of our decarbonisation journey. We will continue to explore alternative fuels, improve operational efficiency and share updates transparently as we go.
Innovation
Scalable low-carbon solutions in shipping are still emerging, which is why we are investing in carefully designed trials. We aim to be at the forefront of new technologies, building partnerships with companies developing solutions with real environmental benefits. We see our role as supporting, trialling and learning from these innovations so we can share insights and help accelerate adoption across the industry.
Our current focus includes reducing fuel use through smarter planning, such as route optimisation and improved weather modelling, and exploring ways to prevent and remove microplastic pollution through procurement decisions and new technologies. We know that not every trial will succeed or scale, but transparency and collaboration are key to finding solutions that make a real difference.
Ocean Regeneration
Our Ocean Regeneration initiative is simple in concept but critical for the recovery of marine ecosystems we all depend on. For every passenger, we fund the planting of one unit of marine life and the removal of one kilogram of ocean-bound waste. Through this circular program, we restore what is vital and remove what is harmful.
The ocean is our planet’s life support system. Coastal habitats such as kelp forests, seagrass meadows and coral reefs are biodiversity hotspots and powerful carbon sinks, yet they are increasingly affected by climate change and pollution. Protecting and rebuilding these ecosystems is essential.
Through partnerships with Seatrees, Veritree and CleanHub, we are supporting projects including:
- Kelp forests in Canada and Portugal
- Seagrass meadows in Spain
- Coral restoration in Indonesia and Costa Rica
- Plastic recovery in Indonesia’s Coral Triangle
These projects were chosen for their strong community engagement, partnering with local organisations to deliver lasting social and environmental impacts. They also complement our existing polar partnerships in whale and penguin research, citizen science and Inuit community engagement.
Looking Ahead
The climate crisis is already changing the places we visit. We have a responsibility to act, and that means shifting to actions with direct impact: cutting emissions, backing innovation and helping restore ocean health. We’ll keep tracking our greenhouse gas emissions across the company, share what we learn from trials, and adapt as we go.
We are grounded in our commitment to protect the wild places we explore and create lasting benefits for the ocean and the communities connected to it.
