Diving liveaboards are basically floating hotels, with many of the facilities and amenities you would find on land. Responsible travellers are starting to look at how sustainable the hotels they stay at are, but what about liveaboards?

Malaillo liveaboard is the newest offering from Lotus Hotels, which is known for their high standards of sustainability. Here, we explain what we do to ensure our dive trips are as eco-friendly as possible, sharing Malaillo’s sustainability practices at sea.

Energy Usage

Although Malaillo does not use renewable energy sources, they do try to keep energy usage to a minimum. Each room has energy efficient air conditioners with inverter features, and guests are requested to turn off the unit when diving. It is also standard operating procedure for housekeeping to turn off air conditioning units when guests are out diving four times a day.

Lights are usually unnecessary during the day so those are also turned off. Energy efficient bulbs are used as standard throughout Lotus properties including Malaillo.

Products and Amenities

The runoff from detergents, cleaning products, and toiletries can have a negative effect on marine life. This is why Malaillo housekeeping staff are supplied with eco-friendly products that are biodegradable and don’t harm the environment. Toiletries provided in the rooms and shared washrooms are also as natural as possible.Guests are also encouraged to bring reef-safe products with them, including non-harmful sunscreens.

Single Use Plastics

Single-use plastics are a no go as far as Lotus Hotels are concerned and this includes Malaillo Liveaboard. Their use is avoidable by using refillable drinking water bottles, toiletries, and cleaning products on board. Guests are not stopped from bringing single-use plastics on board, but their use is discouraged.

Local Food Sources

Diving is a high energy activity which means high energy foods are needed to keep guests going all day. All meals are cooked by professional chefs on board so it is important for them to have fresh ingredients for the duration of the trip. This is why Malaillo staff try to buy as much local produce as possible. This not only ensures fresh supplies, but also is much more sustainable than bringing in imported food.

Waste

Waste management when you’re cruising in the middle of the Coral Triangle can be difficult. On Malaillo, all waste is collected and separated into organic and non-organic so it can be properly disposed of when Malaillo is docked somewhere with proper waste disposal facilities.

Water Treatment

Using sea water is the most efficient way to supply water to guests, but of course no one wants to use salt water to wash in. Malaillo has a reverse osmosis desalination system installed so fresh water is always available on board.

Drinking water is also filtered and is always available to guests in refillable bottles.

Fuel Efficiency

Fuel efficiency is a major concern for liveaboards. There is no way around engines needing fuel unless they have very high-tech electric systems, which are still generally unaffordable. It is however possible to monitor fuel consumption to make the journey as fuel efficient as possible. Currently Malaillo’s crew does this manually, calculating distance to average fuel consumption.

It is almost impossible for a liveaboard dive boat to be 100% sustainable. However, it is possible for operators to do everything in their power to make travel by liveaboard as sustainable as possible. Every eco-friendly policy, no matter how small it seems, lowers the vessel’s carbon footprint.

With Malaillo, there is more work to be done but when it comes to sustainability focused liveaboards, it’s leading the pack.

Learn more about Lotus Hotels’ sustainability policies or contact Malaillo Liveaboard with any questions or queries.