Swan Hellenic’s SH Minerva Earns DCA ESG Certification from Dream&Charme; A World First in Luxury Expedition Cruising

SH Minerva, the first of three ships in Swan Hellenic’s fleet, has earned the DCA ESG Certification from Dream&Charme, an internationally accredited certification body specialising in hospitality. Dream&Charme is accredited against ISO/IEC 17065 by ACCREDIA under the supervision of the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy. This certification recognises both the company’s and the vessel’s dedication to environmental, social, and governance excellence.

SH Minerva is the first cruise ship in the world to earn this hospitality ESG certification. The audit took place during the Hiroshima to Otaru cruise in Japan from 20-30 May. With over 1,400 sustainability certifications issued across 19 countries, Dream&Charme solidifies its status as a global benchmark for sustainability certification in hospitality and premium accommodation.

The DCA ESG Certification issued by Dream&Charme is an accredited certification in accordance with ISO/IEC 17065. This accreditation is recognized under the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement, complies with European Regulation (EC) No. 765/2008 and, being accredited by Accredia, is considered reliable by members (126) of the Global Accreditation Network (Global ACI), including United States, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Europe, Russian Federation, China, Brasil, Australia, and many other countries.

Dream&Charme previously broke new ground by certifying “La Dolce Vita Orient Express,” the world’s first train to meet DCA ESG standards. Now, with SH Minerva, the company extends this vision to the open seas, demonstrating ESG innovation that transcends traditional sectors on a global scale.

The audit was conducted onboard SH Minerva by Giorgio Caire di Lauzet, CEO of Dream&Charme and Lead Auditor with over 3,000 audits completed in 25 countries. It provided an independent assessment of the ship’s environmental, social, and governance performance, including shore excursion experiences.

Built at Helsinki Shipyard in Finland, the vessel SH Minerva embodies the excellence of next-generation expedition cruising:

• advanced technologies adopted in the hull design contribute to reduced fuel consumption;

• spaces are dedicated to cultural and scientific enrichment, including a dedicated on-board laboratory;

• state-of-the-art zodiacs are used for exploration;

• strict adherence to biosecurity procedures to protect fragile polar ecosystems;

• diesel-electric propulsion with power generation by advanced Tier III diesel generator with SCR system and urea injection for the strictest air emission control;

• the dynamic positioning system allows the vessel to stay in position without anchoring in delicate seabed areas;

• reverse osmosis water production exceeds 10,000 litres per hour; and much more, all in service of an international clientele that chooses conscious travel without compromising on the highest levels of comfort.

This ship doesn’t just take its guests to the planet’s most remote and extraordinary places, from the North and South Polar region, it does so with a deep sense of responsibility. It knows that true exploration means protecting these fragile environments, creating real benefits in places far beyond typical tourist routes, and honouring local traditions with care and respect.

The DCA ESG Certification aligns with ISO/IEC 17065 standards, rigorously assessing how an organisation manages its environmental impact, engages stakeholders, and implements transparent governance. It’s not an honorary title but a practical tool that transforms sustainability from intention into measurable, verifiable action.

“In today’s experiential luxury landscape, discerning international travellers expect a clear alignment between corporate commitments and measurable actions. The DCA ESG Certification offers a meaningful competitive edge for Swan Hellenic,” said Andrea Zito, CEO of Swan Hellenic. “We have always been committed to delivering a high-end expedition cruising experience that combines exceptional exploration with responsible innovation. Dream&Charme’s ESG Certification stands as a benchmark of excellence, with an internationally accredited framework and strong presence in some of the world’s most demanding markets.”

Giorgio Caire di Lauzet, CEO of Dream&Charme, added, “Awarding the DCA ESG Certification to SH Minerva highlights the rising importance of structured sustainability in expedition cruising. This certification isn’t just recognition — it’s a practical tool supporting continuous ESG improvement. SH Minerva sets a benchmark for the industry by turning sustainability intent into measurable action.”

About Swan Hellenic: Swan Hellenic was relaunched in July 2020 to proudly advance the spirit of cultural expedition cruising the company pioneered in the 1950s. Building on its British roots, the new company has a distinctly cosmopolitan culture dedicated to providing guests with global opportunities to see what others don’t.

Today’s guests can choose to explore worldwide, from the Arctic and Antarctic to Africa, Latin America and the Asia Pacific, aboard Swan Hellenic's fleet of three purpose-built boutique ships.

Each of these luxurious new vessels features elegant Scandi-design interiors, extensive outdoor spaces and dedicated expedition facilities. SH Minerva and SH Vega, two 5-star Polar Code PC 5 expedition cruise ships with ice-strengthened hulls, were launched in December 2021 and July 2022. Both accommodate 152 guests in 76 spacious suites and staterooms, the majority with large balconies. SH Diana is a slightly larger PC 6 ice-class vessel launched in April 2023. She accommodates 192 guests in the same distinctive comfort and style in 96 staterooms and suites.

While sharing the unique design features of her sister ships, SH Diana also introduces certain key enhancements, including a dedicated presentation and lecture theatre overlooking the lounge, and on-board Tender boats to take guests ashore in addition to and in greater comfort than the customary expedition Zodiacs. Like her siblings, SH Diana features a state-of-the-art gym, spa, panoramic sauna, club room and swimming pool with poolside grill.

All three ships feature three dining venues – the Swan Restaurant, Club Lounge and Pool Bar & Grill – and are built in full compliance with SOLAS Safe Return to Port requirements. Dedicated to guests with a passion for adventure and cultural exploration, the company’s meticulously planned itineraries explore the wild landscapes, wildlife, peoples and cultures of the world’s less travelled and most historic regions.

The crews each include a team of up to 12 seasoned expedition guides, expert speakers and lecturers, for a total complement of 120 and 140 persons respectively, offering outstanding staff-to-guest ratios to deliver the highest standards of attentive personal service.

Swan Hellenic’s cultural expedition cruises have always been distinguished by the company, guidance and expert lectures of famous explorers, seasoned expedition guides and leading authorities in their fields. Now, many of the cruises are also enriched by partnerships with unique organizations to bring very different experts on board in the same way, including the world-renowned scientists of the SETI Institute.

The SETI Explore Space at Sea Series brings a different scientist from the SETI Institute aboard each cruise to provide guests with expert insights into the history and latest discoveries in astronomy, astrophysics, astrobiology and planetary science, as well as the quest to find other forms of life within and beyond our solar system.

On many cruises, guests can also participate in Swan Hellenic’s Citizen Science partnerships, contributing valuable data obtained during their expeditions and on board, reporting cloud data with NASA, recording whale sightings with Happywhale, monitoring phytoplankton with the Secchi Disk Study, and Antarctic seabird numbers with Stony Brook University.

Headquartered in Cyprus, with offices in London (serving the UK, Ireland and India), Dusseldorf (serving Continental Europe), Monaco, Miami (serving the North American market), Hong Kong (serving Greater China and South-East Asia), Sydney (serving Australia-New Zealand) and SaoPaulo for Latam, Dubai for the GCC, Swan Hellenic supports the travel trade with local specialist partners to provide clients with expert personal service worldwide.

For more information about Swan Hellenic, please visit www.swanhellenic.com or call 0203 503 1130