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Fred Olsen Cruise Lines to ban plastic straws

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines is imposing a ban on the use of plastic straws on its four ocean-going ships.

Plastic cutlery is also being removed throughout the Fred Olsen fleet.

The move, coinciding with World Environment Day, is part of the line’s focus on waste minimisation and recycling across its ships –Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch.

Fred Olsen has also been implementing other waste-saving initiatives on board, including:

• Removal of single-use coffee cups from Bookmark Cafes
• Plastic jam, butter and milk portions to be replaced in restaurants, buffets, and room service orders
• Replacing plastic laundry bags with linen ones
• Reducing the consumption of cling film
• Using ropes to secure items during rough seas rather than plastic

Fred Olsen is also considering measures that can be undertaken by its river cruise vessel Brabant to reduce and eliminate single-use plastics on board.

Hotel operations director, Thomas Rennesland, said: “As a cruise line, we make our living out of the sea. We need to do our utmost to conserve this precious environment and make sure that it is safeguarded for marine life and the enjoyment of generations to come.

“There are three key elements to the environmental measures that we are undertaking across our fleet: to reduce and – where possible – eliminate single-use disposable plastics; to reduce the amount of plastics used operationally; and finally, to influence our supply chain in their behaviours.

“We have been listening to guest feedback and asking our staff how we can work together to reduce, and wherever possible, remove our reliance upon single-use plastics.

“On board Boudicca, for instance, we have been able to reduce the use of cling film by 32%; this is being replicated across our other ships.”

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