According to its latest sustainability report, Ponant is making progress in its goal to reach net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

In 2023, Ponant’s fleet reduced its CO2 emissions per cruise day by 11 percent compared to 2018, the company reported.

The achievements are the result of investing in a modern fleet, Ponant said, which strives to achieve the highest standards in terms of environmental performance and health and safety onboard.

Other actions included replacing heavy fuel oil with Low Sulfur Marine Gas Oil, which the company has been using since 2019.

The company has invested in energy and operations optimizations, as well as ship efficiency and the use of alternative fuels.

Ponant now aims to reduce its CO2 emissions by a further 20 percent in 2030 ahead of achieving carbon neutrality in 2040 and a net-zero status in 2050.

According to the report, to further reduce air pollution, the company is aiming to reduce its NOx and SOx emissions.

Helping drive this is the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which according to Ponant, can reduce SOx emissions by 99 percent and NOx emissions by 92 percent.

Introduced in 2021, the icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot became the company’s first LNG-powered ship.

Ponant has also invested in catalytic converters to cut NOx emissions, with the technology now present in 85 percent of its fleet.

In addition to LNG, the company is also trialing different alternative energy sources, including B100, a fuel produced by recycling edible oils.

According to the company, 12 of its 14 ships are currently certified “biofuel ready,” while a 13th, the Paul Gauguin, is in the process of certification.

“In a global context marked by the climate emergency, Ponant continues to work towards decarbonization by integrating ambitious targets into its direct emissions reduction strategy,” the company said.