Sustainable solutions
Advancing the circular economy and safeguarding life below water are not only key sustainability issues in the maritime industry but also crucial motivators for Evac’s business. They are defining factors when we innovate new solutions or develop existing ones, with the goal of enabling a future with no waste, on both land and sea.
Advancing the
circular economy
Circularity is a core element of Evac’s business model. Our products stay in use for decades, they significantly reduce waste and improve the recycling of materials when installed, they are repaired regularly, and they are mainly recyclable when removed from use.
Safeguarding life
below water
Protecting marine life is a crucial motivator for our business and product development. Our wastewater systems minimize cruise passengers’ dry and organic waste and nutrient loads to the marine environment. They also ensure that untreated waste is not dumped at sea.
Our commitment to UN SDGs
By joining the Global Compact initiative, we have committed to taking action to advance the United Nations’ goals and issues embodied in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2021, we identified five SDGs most relevant to our business and where Evac can have the most significant impact. The selected SDGs are well-reflected in our sustainability program.
The Sustainable Development Goals represent an opportunity to shape a new era for responsible business. The table below introduces the selected SDGs and actions that advance them.
| The goal | Our commitment | Our latest milestones |
| SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation | We provide our customers with solutions that enhance sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. By using our solutions, our customers can ensure efficient and hygienic sanitation, and save a significant amount of fresh water. | Since the turn of the century, our innovative vacuum technology has saved over 250 million cubic meters of water – enough to fill more than 100,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools and meet the annual freshwater needs of approximately 5 million people. |
| SDG 12: Responsible consumption and protection | Evac has an ambitious target of leading the maritime industry towards the circular economy: minimizing incineration and preventing, reducing, recycling and reusing waste instead. We are committed to pioneering circularity and encourage our customers to adopt sustainable practices in their water and waste management. | Evac was recognized as one of the top 30 circular innovators in Europe. The company was included on the Circular Solutions for Nature list created by Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund. The list was released at the World Circular Economy Forum in April. |
| SDG 13: Climate action | We enhance our customers’ climate ambitions by innovating new solutions and developing the current ones that improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. We also focus on recycling and minimizing waste incineration, which helps prevent additional carbon release. Through these initiatives, we aim to minimize our environmental impact and contribute to global efforts in combating climate change. | Cathelco USP DragGone, our novel innovation for ultrasonic antifouling, ensures up to 13 % reduction in carbon emissions. The new product innovation, suitable for all vessel types, was launched in early 2024. |
| SDG 14: Life below water | We are dedicated to protecting life below water through our sustainable solutions. Our advanced waste and water management systems significantly reduce marine pollution by preventing harmful waste and wastewater discharge into oceans. Additionally, our marine growth prevention technologies help protecting marine and coastal ecosystems by preventing transfer of invasive aquatic species. | Evac’s spearhead wastewater treatment solution, Evac MBR, was initially developed almost two decades ago for onboard wastewater treatment. Today, advanced technology is seeing rapidly growing interest, driven by the tightening regulation scheduled to be released in 2025. |
| SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals | Partnering with like-minded companies and organizations across and outside our industry increases the positive impact of our actions manyfold. We proactively seek opportunities to cooperate with customers, suppliers, academia, and other actors who are committed to sustainable development and have similar ambitions to strive for a future with no waste. | To further reinforce our commitment to sustainable and ethical business practices, we joined the United Nations Global Compact initiative in early 2024. Through Global Compact, we partner with thousands of like-minded companies committed to taking responsible business action to create a better world for future generations. |
Sustainability benefits of our solutions
Fresh water generation
Turns seawater into drinking water with low energy consumption and a small CO2 footprint.
Vacuum systems
Collects waste in a future-proof way with minimal energy and water consumption.
Wastewater treatment
Treated wastewater produces no waste. Close to zero impact in aquatic ecosystems or ground when discharged.
Wet waste treatment
Treatment of organic waste produces no waste or even turns the waste into valuable material
Dry waste treatment
Enables efficient material processing, recovery and recycling onboard
Corrosion protection
Lengthens the lifecycle of vessels by preventing corrosion of the hull and propulsion system
Marine growth prevention
Eliminates the settlement of macro biofouling organisms on the ship’s interior piping systems.
KPIs to measure our progress
| Theme | KPI | Target | Our progress in 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advancing the circular economy | Increased share of advanced wastewater treatment plants | 100% by 2030 | 75 % (47% in 2020-2022) |
| Safeguarding life below water | Increased share of recycling equipment in Evac sales | 95% by 2030 | +/- 0 % (88 % in 2020-2022) |
| Minimizing the carbon footprint | The carbon footprint of all Evac Total Concepts | -30 % by 2030 | Cruise concept -77% |
Evac Sustainability Index
To better support our customers, we implemented a novel tool, Evac Sustainability Index in 2022. The tool helps our customers select the best products that advance their operations and reduce their environmental footprint the most. At Evac, we call these products our Sustainability Spearhead Products.
The index is measured based on four criteria
The Sustainability Index of all our main products is measured based on carefully selected criteria with different weights for the overall score. The criteria cover:
- Environmental impact and circular economy
- Onboard health and safety impact
- Operational energy consumption
- Production and end of life
Sustainability
Spearhead Products
At Evac, we aim to provide customers with solutions that help them reduce their environmental impacts – one day down to zero.
But which products are considered more sustainable than others? And how do we define that? To answer the questions we created Evac Sustainability Index that help our customers select the most sustainable products and solutions for their needs. Evac Sustainability Spearhead Products are marked with a special symbol in our Product Catalogue.
