The pilot will determine if reusable containers developed by ecoSPIRITS can be used to serve Bacardi rum on Carnival ships to reduce single-use packaging by 95%. The concept is being tested for three months on a trio of Miami-based ships: Carnival Celebration, Carnival Horizon and Carnival Sunrise.
The program is a 'great example of thinking in ways that are truly out of the box or, in this case, out of the bottle, to develop new partnerships and practices that further our ongoing efforts,' said Zachary Sulkes, senior director of beverage operations, Carnival Cruise Line.
EcoTOTE 3.0SC Cruise Edition
To support the new collaboration with Bacardi and Carnival, ecoSPIRITS created a specialized version of its patent-pending closed loop glass packaging format, the ecoTOTE 3.0SC Cruise Edition, specifically for the maritime environment. Each ecoTOTE replaces approximately four bottles of Bacardi Superior rum and each one is used, cleaned and refilled approximately 100 times, thereby creating a closed loop system.
The rum was selected for the pilot because it is among the most-ordered spirits across the fleet and a staple of some of the craft cocktails most popular with Carnival cruisers.
The rum will be transferred from ecoTOTE to serving format using ecoSPIRITS’ SmartPour technology. New silver and red Bacardi-branded SmartPours will be placed in select bars on the three ships for beverage team members to serve cocktails featuring Bacardi Superior rum.
Closed loop packaging a Bacardi priority
'As we strive to become the most environmentally responsible global spirits company, we are continuously looking for opportunities to deliver our beautiful drinks in more sustainable packaging and formats, helping us build to a greener future,' said Rodolfo Nervi, VP global safety, quality & sustainability for Bacardi. 'Innovating in closed loop packaging has been a top priority for us for a number of years, so launching our very first ecoTOTE for Bacardi rum on a Carnival cruise ship and seeing the doors this trial will open, is an incredibly exciting step forwards in that journey.'
EcoSPIRITS developed its patent-pending closed loop system in 2018.
'Working with forward-thinking partners like this strengthens our collective focus on sustainable practices and our shared goal to eventually eliminate packaging waste across the industry,' said Zdenek Kastanek, managing director, ecoSPIRITS USA.
Support for ecoSPIRITS' Oceans Program
The new collaboration will also support the ecoSPIRITS' Oceans Program. For each ecoTOTE delivered as part of the pilot, a donation will fund the removal of more than two pounds of single-use plastic, glass and other man-made wastes removed from endangered marine environments.
Currently, Carnival recycles single-use glass items. Each ship in the fleet is outfitted with a recycling center, where crew members sort paper, plastic and glass recyclables. Last year, Carnival processed more than 11m pounds of recyclables.
