AmaWaterways today proudly announced that 18 river cruise ships in its European fleet* have all earned the prestigious Green Award certification. The fleet-wide certification follows AmaKristina becoming the river cruise industry’s first ship to receive this designation. The 18 river ships now recognized for industry-leading safety, quality and environmental performance, include AmaBella, AmaCello, AmaCerto, AmaDante, AmaDolce, AmaKristina, AmaLea, AmaLyra, AmaMagna, AmaMora, AmaPrima, AmaReina, AmaSerena, AmaSonata, AmaStella, AmaVenita, AmaVerde and AmaViola.
“We are proud to lead the charge in having our river cruise ships certified through the Green Award program,” said Rudi Schreiner, president and co-founder of AmaWaterways. “Responsibility toward the environment is the foundation on which AmaWaterways’ ships are built, and our river cruise and tour programs are operated. Respecting the principles of sustainable travel while ensuring the safety and security of guests and crew has always been our top priority.”
The Green Award program is an independent accreditation process for ocean vessels, inland barges and river cruise ships. The Green Award certificate is a mark for ships that demonstrate high safety and environmental standards. To earn the award, river cruise ships are evaluated based on the environmental impact of its engines, fuel consumption, waste and maintenance, pollution prevention and more. Many ports, such as the Port of Amsterdam, offer substantial benefits to certified ships to promote safer, cleaner inland navigation and to advocate for an integrated approach for European inland waterways.
Demonstrating its commitment to protecting and preserving the world’s rivers, AmaWaterways’ contemporary vessels — carrying 156 guests on average — are thoughtfully designed with eco-friendly elements, such as LED lights; special insulated windows that reduce energy needs for heating and cooling; power locks to plug into a port’s power supply instead of running generators; solar heating systems; water treatment plants that use a membrane technology to provide microfiltration and recycling of all water used onboard. At twice the width of traditional river cruise ships, the revolutionary AmaMagna launched in 2019 and debuted an innovative 10-engine configuration designed to reduce overall fuel consumption by up to 20 percent depending on river conditions.
Additionally, AmaWaterways continues to evaluate and implement new measures across its fleet to minimize its impact on the environment. In efforts to reduce overall plastic consumption on board its ships, the river cruise line has replaced individual single-use toiletries with soap/shampoo dispensers, replaced plastic straws with paper ones, added glass water bottles in all staterooms and continues to test the use of tetra-pak water containers to replace plastic water bottles during excursions.
“While current events may have delayed the start of this year’s sailing season, nothing has diminished our commitment to protecting the rivers that we sail upon. Receiving these awards for all our ships in Europe* reaffirms our dedication to sustainability,” said Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-founder of AmaWaterways. “River cruising is a wonderfully intimate way to explore the world, and we will continue to honor the environment and support the development of communities we visit by introducing innovative ways to minimize our carbon footprint.”
* Excluding ships in Portugal.
AmaWaterways has announced a special offer inviting frontline heroes from around the world to enjoy a complimentary river cruise.
