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How Smit Lamnalco eliminated more than 1 million plastic bottles

The challenge

Reduce reliance on single-use plastic bottles across a global fleet.

The result

More than one million plastic bottles eliminated.

The approach

Dedicated drinking water refill stations, reusable bottles, crew training and operational integration.

Key lesson

Sustainable change depends on adoption, not technology alone.

From bottled water to refill culture

As part of its wider sustainability ambitions, Smit Lamnalco launched a Plastic-Free campaign aimed at reducing the use of single-use plastic bottles across its fleet.

The challenge was familiar to many vessel operators. Freshwater systems were already available on board, yet bottled water remained the preferred option for many crew members. As a result, the company continued to deal with the procurement, storage, transport and disposal of large volumes of plastic bottles.

The goal was straightforward. Getting crews to leave bottled water behind was another matter.

Building a system people would actually use

Smit Lamnalco worked with Hatenboer-Water to introduce dedicated bottle filling stations across the fleet. Unlike standard freshwater outlets, these stations were specifically intended for drinking water consumption and for refilling reusable bottles.

By creating a dedicated drinking water point, crews no longer had to wonder which tap was intended for drinking water. The refill stations solved part of the challenge: they provided crews with a clearly identifiable source of drinking water. 

The next step was helping crews understand and trust the system.

Crew training became a key part of the program. Training sessions explained how onboard drinking water is produced and maintained, while helping crews understand the difference between the vessel’s freshwater system and the dedicated drinking water stations.

As Technical Manager Harm van Petersen explains:

"Once people understand what they are drinking and why they can trust it, switching from bottles to refills becomes the natural choice on board."
Harm van Petersen

Building trust was an important part of the program. The next step was making sure there were no practical barriers that pushed people back towards bottled water.

Harm van Petersen
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8) Plastic free campaign - updates 6
8) Plastic free campaign - updates 4 - SL Jamba Crew
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Making the sustainable choice the easy choice

One example emerged when a crew member suffered heat stress after spending time working on deck.

While reviewing the incident, the conversation turned to hydration. It turned out the crew member had lost a reusable water bottle some time earlier and had never asked for a replacement.

The solution was remarkably simple. Reusable bottles were added to Smit Lamnalco’s PPE process, allowing crew members to request replacements in the same way as any other standard onboard item.

Why the programme succeeded

Several elements worked together to make the initiative successful:

  • Easy access to drinking water through dedicated refill stations
  • Reusable bottles available as standard onboard equipment
  • Crew training and awareness programmes
  • Fleet-wide implementation planning
  • Long-term commitment from both operational and technical teams

Rather than relying on a single intervention, Smit Lamnalco embedded the programme into everyday operations across the fleet. That combination helped transform a sustainability ambition into a practical reality.

Turning ambition into results

With Plastic-Free, Smit Lamnalco has so far eliminated more than one million plastic bottles across its vessels.

Today, dedicated drinking water systems have already been installed on twelve vessels, with further roll-outs planned across the fleet. This represents an estimated reduction of 10 to 25 tonnes of plastic.

The milestone is impressive in its own right, but the broader achievement may be even more important.

The Smit Lamnalco project shows that meaningful change on board rarely comes from a single intervention. Refill stations, training, reusable bottles and day-to-day operational support all played a role in making refill part of everyday life across the fleet. For other maritime operators pursuing similar goals, that may be a valuable lesson.

The project was delivered through close cooperation between Smit Lamnalco’s operational and technical teams and Hatenboer-Water, combining drinking water expertise with day-to-day fleet operations.

Key Takeaways

  • Plastic reduction starts with changing behaviour, not simply installing equipment.
  • Dedicated refill stations make reusable drinking water more accessible.
  • Crew training plays a critical role in adoption.
  • Small operational adjustments can have a significant impact on participation.
  • Embedding sustainability initiatives into normal onboard processes increases long-term success.
  • Combining technology, training and procedures helped Smit Lamnalco eliminate more than one million plastic bottles.

How can we help?

Whether you need information, advice, a quote or have any other question, we’re here to help.

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