Environmental Reseach On Board Royal Clipper
Star Clippers Hires Marine Biologist to Educate and Entertain Guests
Jun 1, 2009
Tall ship sailing specialist Star Clippers has hired a marine biologist to live and work on board its flagship, Royal Clipper, conducting experiments, collecting data and educating guests at the same time.
Star Clippers’ Swedish owner and founder, Mikael Krafft, himself a fervent environmentalist, has appointed Italian marine biologist Dr. Mariano Peruzzo as the resident marine expert on board Royal Clipper for the summer 2009 season of Mediterranean cruises, following a successful trial in the Caribbean last winter. Royal Clipper will then cross the Atlantic in October 2009 for the 2009/2010 Caribbean season, where the project will continue.
Spot Whales and Dolphins, Learn About Coral and Turtles
At no charge to guests, Dr Peruzzo, a graduate in biological sciences of the University of Genoa, is giving passengers daily talks on marine biology, relevant to the area in which the ship is sailing at the time. He also offers entertaining and informative presentations on the history of oceanography, coral reefs, cetaceans (whales and dolphins), marine reptiles such as turtles, and geology. The informal lectures encompass the issue of climate change, its causes and contributing factors.
In addition to the educational programme, Mariano Peruzzo works with guests throughout each day to continue his research into the environments in which the ship is sailing. Enthusiasts can join him at dawn on deck to look for and log whales and dolphins, or join him on dives and snorkelling trips, or for beach walks in areas of ecological interest. Qualified divers can also participate in night dives. The daily finds from the research are logged and will be used in Peruzzo’s intended collaborations with various environmental projects worldwide, which include conservation movements, research vessels and universities.
Environmentally Friendly Cruising
Star Clippers is already an extremely eco-conscious company, its three ships spending as much time as possible under sail, rather than motoring. All three ships are installed with state-of-the-art waste disposal systems. Because passenger numbers are small (maximum 228 on Royal Clipper), the impact on the out-of-the-way ports the ships visit is minimal.
With the assistance of Mikael Krafft, Peruzzo is also in the process of setting up a small laboratory on board Royal Clipper, to show guests the technical workings of a marine biology research project and to achieve a heightened awareness of the importance of environmental issues.
Royal Clipper will operate sailings from four to 11 nights in duration in the Mediterranean until October, calling at ports in Italy, Greece, Croatia, Montenegro, Malta and for the first time, Libya.
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