When you set sail for the world’s most pristine and remote regions, like the majestic Antarctic Southern Ocean, the last thing you want to feel is that your journey is harming the environment you’ve traveled so far to see.
I recently returned from an incredible voyage on Quark Expeditions‘ new ship, the Ultramarine, and I have to tell you, I was floored. This isn’t just a vessel; it’s a floating testament to what sustainable expedition cruising can be. While the ship’s architecture is stunning, its commitment to the planet is what truly stole the show – well apart from getting us to Snow Hill and the emperor penguin colony that is!
We enjoyed some incredible presentations by the expedition team aboard our trip and one of the things that never ceases to impress, is that so many of them are highly qualified in their fields. And yet, they are still part of the team, helping you get into zodiacs or zipping up your immersion suit! We enjoyed immensely that they all join you for dinner or breakfast, which of course, is a perfect time to get to know them better.
Early in the voyage, we met Malcolm Ellis – or Malc as he is affectionately known. Logistics Coordinator in the expedition team, and a Manxman (brought up on the Isle of Man), as Quark’s Senior VP of Operations, he was deeply involved in the design, delivery and deployment of the Ultramarine, which entered service in 2022, which we learnt about over breakfast. So it was both lovely and apt that he delivered a presentation talking about how the vessel was designed and specifically – which warmed my heart – how sustainable it was.
🛠️ Engineering for a Cleaner Ocean
Quark states that sustainability begins with the design of this vessel, and the engineering details are simply remarkable. Forget “meeting” industry standards; the Ultramarine is utterly smashing them.
Here’s a snapshot of the high-tech that ensures this ship treads lightly in our polar regions:
- Optimised Power: With a combination of four engines (two large, two smaller), the crew can perfectly optimise power for both propulsion and “hotel load” (running all the ship’s amenities), resulting in significant fuel savings.
- Sleek & Efficient: The ship’s streamlined, majestic hull combined with an advanced propeller design means less drag and greater efficiency slicing through the water.
- The No-Anchor Policy: Given the astonishing and surprising life I’d just learned about on the Antarctic seabed, this was music to my ears! The sophisticated Dynamic Positioning System meant that every time we stopped, there was no need to drop anchor, protecting those precious, fragile sea-beds from damage.
- Preventing Biological Hitchhikers: Transferring invasive species is a critical concern in polar regions. The Ultramarine uses advanced treatment processes for both black/grey water and a UV treatment system for all ballast water. This simple yet critical step prevents the transfer of invasive marine life, keeping the Southern Ocean safe.
- Warming with Waste: Efficiency is key. The ship uses heat recovery from the engine room equipment and even the in-cabin HVAC system – recovering heat from “used” air to warm the incoming fresh air. Coupled with low heat-transfer windows and top-tier insulation, the ship’s interior temperatures are kept stable and comfortable with minimal energy use.
🤯 The MAGS System: Goodbye Waste!
This innovation absolutely blew my mind. Have you ever heard of a MAGS system?
This incredible machine onboard allows the Ultramarine to reduce its overall waste volume by a phenomenal 95%! We aren’t just talking about leftover food; the system processes sewage sludge, plastics, and oily waste. Even more incredibly, it’s self-fuelling, producing hydrogen and carbon monoxide (syn-gas) during the process. The final result is bio-char, a soil enhancer, which means virtually zero waste heads for landfill at the end of a trip.
Knowing the sheer amount of supplies and, yes, even the volume of wine and toilet paper consumed on a voyage, seeing this machine in action definitely made me feel a whole lot better! Cheers to that.
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💚 The Little Touches That Make a Big Difference
Beyond the millions spent on cutting-edge engineering, it was the small, conscious choices that truly underlined Quark’s genuine commitment to sustainability that I noticed during my voyage:
- Double-Sided Menus: Because of my allergies, which were handled expertly and without fuss – I chose my meals the day before so that they could be prepared safely. What I loved was I noticed they were re-using paper that had been printed on once side already – so using both sides of the paper. A tiny thing, but a powerful example of not wasting a resource.
- Giving Back: As the trip concluded, guests were actively encouraged to place any items they no longer needed – be it the provided parka or personal belongings – into a dedicated recycling/donation box. By the time I disembarked, the box was overflowing! These goods will be donated to local people in Ushuaia who need them most.
Finally, the incredible community spirit was on display during our final evening’s champagne-fueled charity auction. It raised over $18,000 for two worthy causes: the ‘Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds’ rodent eradication programme and disaster relief support for the Philippines following recent earthquake, tsunami, and flood events. with the majority of the hospitality team coming from the Philippines, with families affected by these disasters, it touched all of our hearts.
The Ultramarine is more than a luxury expedition ship – it’s a powerful statement. It proves that we can explore the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems in comfort while championing a deep commitment to their preservation.
Malc taking a well earned moment in the sun on the deck of Ultramarine. Loved discovering this short blog by Malc, ‘A Dream Becoming A Reality’ about his time working on the Ultramarine project.