Lindblad claims to field first self-disinfecting cruise fleet

Photocatalytic process

The new system, ACT CleanCoat, is a photocatalytic process that works when illuminated, breaking down bacteria, viruses, mold and airborne allergens. It can be applied to all surfaces to make them self-disinfecting. This video shows how it works. 

Created by ACT.Global A/S, a Copenhagen-based company, the antibacterial spray is transparent, odorless and activated by light, and protects a room like an invisible insulation while purifying and deodorizing the air for up to one year.

Chemical-free and harmless

Chemical-free, the product uses the ACT ECA water system created by electrolysis of salt and water to clean rooms in a way that is completely harmless to passengers, crew and the environment.

‘As the oldest and most experienced expedition travel company in the world, we go to some of the most pristine places on the planet. We are very conscious of the waste we produce, and how the cleanliness of our ship and protection of our guests on board is vital to a healthy environment,’ said Bruce Tschampel, VP hotel operations for Lindblad Expeditions.

‘Premium Purity is unlike anything we have seen out there. Our ships are truly pristine and healthy, and we already have measurable results to prove it from our initial pilot program on one ship.’

Guest-reported illness down 50%

Following a one-year trial aboard National Geographic Explorer, the system is going fleetwide. Tschampel said guest-reported illness declined by 50%, more than 1,000 plastic bottles of cleaning products were eliminated and water usage was dramatically reduced by 1.1m gallons per year. 

‘The crew is raving about how much healthier the ship is and how effective it is to use this solution,’ he added.

The fleetwide rollout is another step in Lindblad’s commitment to defining travel industry standards for sustainability and environmentally responsible operations.

Other sustainability initiatives

In 2019, the company became carbon neutral, offsetting 100% of emissions from its ships, all land-based operations, employee travel, offices in New York and Seattle, and other contributors. Guest-facing, single-use plastics were eliminated fleetwide in 2018, and Lindblad has operated a sustainable seafood program for many years.

Other sustainability initiatives include building ships that reduce emissions while increasing efficiency, mandating supply chain solutions to eliminate plastic, sourcing and serving local, organic produce and making crew uniforms from recycled plastic.