Environmental policy of itineraries offered by New Horizon Expeditions

Destination






All itineraries offered by New Horizon Expeditions are carried out by service providers who operate in accordance with MARPOL (the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships), SOLAS (the International Agreement Concerning Safety of Life at Sea). In Antarctica, activities are also governed by the Antarctic Treaty, the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty and ATCM Recommendation XVIII-1. No waste is disposed of overboard.

 

NOTE:

No waste is disposed of overboard. All waste is either brought back to port or incinerated as outlined in  the procedures of IAATO and Recommendation VIII-1.

 

MARPOL Treaty

The MARPOL Convention is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes. It is a combination of two treaties adopted in 1973 and 1978 respectively and also includes the Protocol of 1997 (Annex VI). It has been updated by amendments through the years.

 

SOLAS

The SOLAS Convention in its successive forms is generally regarded as the most important of all international treaties concerning the safety of merchant ships. The first version was adopted in 1914, in response to the Titanic disaster, the second in 1929, the third in 1948, and the fourth in 1960. The 1974 version includes the tacit acceptance procedure - which provides that an amendment shall enter into force on a specified date unless, before that date, objections to the amendment are received from an agreed number of Parties.
As a result the 1974 Convention has been updated and amended on numerous occasions. The Convention in force today is sometimes referred to as SOLAS, 1974, as amended.

 

The Antarctic Treaty

The main purpose of the Antarctic Treaty, which was signed in Washington on December 1, 1959, is to ensure "in the interest of all mankind that Antarctica shall continue for ever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord."

 

The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed in Madrid on October 4, 1991 and entered into force in 1998. It designates Antarctica as a "natural reserve, devoted to peace and science" (Art. 2). Article 3 of the Environment Protocol sets forth basic principles applicable to human activities in Antarctica and Article 7 prohibits all activities relating to Antarctic mineral resources, except for scientific research.

 

The Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM)

From 1961 to 1994 the ATCM generally met once every two years, but since 1994 the meetings have occurred annually.

 

The meeting consists of representatives of:

  • the Consultative Parties
  • non-Consultative Parties
  • Observers - currently the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP)
  • invited Experts, such as the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) and the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO).

 

ATCM Recommendation XVIII-1

The main ATCM regulations and guidelines for tourists and expedition organizers are contained in the Environment Protocol and Tourism Guidelines attached to Recommendation XVIII-1 (1994). Aside from establishing guidelines for tourist expeditions, the ATCM also provides for tourist expeditions to submit reports on their visits.