Clean Air ... Clean Water ... Clean Future

Respect Our Planet is an environmental management plan and education program designed to promote best practices throughout our business, and to encourage our guests to adopt these practices in their lives.

Our Commitment

"The maritime industry has not made any significant leaps in propulsion technology since the introduction of the diesel engine on commercial vessels in the early 1900's and we intend to lead and inspire a wave of advancement to continue until this industry can function in harmony with our environment." - Terry MacRae, CEO, Hornblower Cruises and Events

Historically, water transportation is not known for its environmentally friendly practices. As a company, we acknowledge the challenges within our industry and are committed to a philosophy of continual improvement. These improvements are based on both internal and external operations that reflect our ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship. We are working hard to reduce our impact on the environment as well as raise awareness within our industry and our community.

In doing so, we have made some big changes. We have replaced our boat engines with cleaner Tier 2 marine engines and switched to biodiesel. We are building hybrid boats powered by solar, wind, and fuel cell technology. We offer carbon neutral cruises and are expanding our environmental educational programs to serve our guests, crew, and community. These improvements represent just a few of the many facets attributed to Respect Our Planet and our continued efforts toward a sustainable future.

We have established a clear vision for the future of our company and embrace the idea of what it means to truly be a sustainable company. To promote environmental stewardship and encourage others to adopt green practices into their lives, we have adopted the following goals as part of our mission to Respect Our Planet:

  1. Showcase advancements made by Hornblower companies to become greener.
  2. Educate people on how to reduce their environmental impact.
  3. Motivate people to take action in small or large ways.
  4. Partner with leading organizations to provide people the opportunity to make environmentally friendly purchasing decisions.
  5. Use our location and company resources to educate children on conservation and environmental awareness.

Hornblower Hybrid Showcase

Alternative Energy

Similar to popular hybrid vehicles, this vessel uses power generated by wind, solar and electricity with some fuel, but far less than other boats. By testing these technologies on this boat, we'll learn how to replicate them on bigger vessels that use larger amounts of fuel.

Converting Resources

This vessel's wind turbines and solar panels generate direct current power (DC), most of which is inverted to create alternating current power (AC). Additional AC power is supplied by state-of-the-art diesel generators and clean, local energy from the utility grid.

Using Power

The direct current (DC) is used to power the navigational equipment and small LED lighting (Light Emitting Diodes), while the alternating current (AC) is used for low power LED lighting, monitors and the electric motors that propel the boat.