This follows a successful six-month trial with Cleaner Seas Group on the Marella Explorer ship which showed that 99% of microfibres were captured.
Last year, Marella Cruises installed its first two groundbreaking Indikon Marine filters onto the Marella Explorer ship’s crew laundry system for the trial to prevent plastic microfibres affecting delicate ecosystems and marine life.
Alongside the ongoing research with the University of Surrey, Cleaner Seas Group also commissioned an independent laboratory to test the capture rate of the Indikon Marine filter. A sample of both the laundry wastewater and a sample of the paper from a full cartridge from the Marella Explorer ship were sent for analysis. A test was conducted to compare the original volume of microfibres found in the laundry wastewater versus the captured volume from the used cartridges. The test showed that 99% of microfibres were captured, the best possible outcome.
The roll out of the Indikon filters, which have been matched to the ship requirements through pioneering technology from the support of Marella Cruises’ technical team and Cleaner Seas Group, will be installed across the entire fleet will help to capture more microfibres per year.
Based on the results from the research, Marella Cruises’ microfibre footprint will be capturing an estimated 500kg of microfibre pollution per ship, per year. The capture of microfibres across all the laundry systems onboard helps support the prevention of pollution from impacting marine ecosystems. The Indikon filters can also be reused and recycled for future use.
Olivia Wells, sustainability manager at Marella Cruises, said: “Installing the Indikon filters onto our Marella fleet of ships will help prevent microplastics from entering our oceans, which have a negative impact on sea life. Microfibres, recognised as of the largest known source of primary marine microplastic pollution, can carry toxic chemicals that erode into the environment, accounting for 35% of the microplastics in the ocean. Our commitment to rolling out Indikon filters across all laundry machines is a first for the cruise sector, and we hope other cruise lines join in the help to reduce microplastic pollution into our oceans.”
Dave Miller, CEO at Cleaner Seas Group, said: “It's been a huge opportunity to work with Marella Cruises on installing the Cleaner Seas filter range and helping to mitigate their microfibre footprint across their fleet of ships. As we launched our professional filter range the team at Marella have been an awesome partner and supported not only our mission to end ocean pollution but have also set a new course in microplastic prevention at sea."
