Seatrade Cruise Global, the cruise industry’s leading annual business-to-business event, was held in Fort Lauderdale this year. It was a highly successful tradeshow for Power Knot Ocean, the leading provider of biodigesters for onboard food waste management. Although it was our first year exhibiting, we met many new and old faces, including Atle Brynestad, co-founder of Seabourn Cruise, who surprised Power Knot with a visit to our booth on the first day of the show.
The presence of Atle Brynestad, co-founder of Seabourn Cruise, at Power Knot’s booth was a pleasant surprise. Brynestad expressed his interest in the LFC-200 biodigester, which is the company’s most popular unit for cruise ship galleys. There was also a notable interest in the LFC-25 biodigester, which is a smaller unit designed for waste management in smaller spaces. This interest could be due to Brynestad’s involvement with his new brand, SeaDream which is a small inclusive luxury vacation cruise line. This visit highlights the growing importance of sustainable practices in the cruise industry and the role that innovative technology, such as biodigesters, can play in reducing food waste and promoting a circular economy.
One Royal Carribean Cruise ship employee, who deals with waste on multiple ships at a high level, expressed their struggle with food waste, calling it their “nightmare.” Although other forms of waste such as recyclable plastic and paper are easy to treat, food waste remains difficult to manage due to sanitation issues and the short life span before it begins to emit gas. Whilst most cruise ships are now installing biodigesters on other cruise line is reducing their waste by carrying live pigs onboard to eat the waste.
Many Carnival Corporation & plc employees, regardless of their position and involvement with the LFC biodigester, stopped by to inquire about the technology aboard their ships. They had a multitude of questions ranging from how the biodigester works to how it keeps plastic out of the ocean. The cruise industry is highly scrutinized for its environmental impact, and as a result, many companies are taking significant steps to reduce their carbon footprint and promote sustainable practices. Carnival is one of the most critically scrutinized companies due to a history of non-compliance with MARPOL regulations—as such, they have refined their processes to be as transparent as possible.
Employees from companies such as LG, Panasonic, and other leading technology companies were surprised by the existing biodigester technology.
Biodigesters represent a unique technology that addresses the growing problem of food waste and helps to create a circular economy. By diverting food waste from the ocean and landfill, biodigesters offer a sustainable solution that aligns with the values of other companies.
The LFC biodigester, as seen with Microsoft Dubai, can integrate with corporate sustainability goals and demonstrate the power of innovative and sustainable technology.
Overall, Power Knot’s participation in Seatrade Cruise Global 2023 was a great success. Our commitment to sustainability and reducing food waste in the cruise industry has received widespread recognition and appreciation. Power Knot’s LFC biodigesters are paving the way towards a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future.