At Green Shipping Day 2026, Mystic Cruises renewed its Green Marine Europe certification and received its latest certificate under the programme. The certificate was collected on behalf of the company by Marisa Costa, Head of Sustainability at MysticInvest Holding. At the same event, Mystic Ocean, another company within the group, also renewed its certification, continuing its own environmental assessment process.
The two companies participate in the programme independently and are assessed according to the criteria applicable to their respective operations. This highlights the specific nature of the certification process and the importance of evaluating each company’s environmental performance separately.
Green Marine Europe is a voluntary environmental certification programme for the European maritime industry. Its aim is to provide companies with a structured framework for measuring specific aspects of their environmental performance, monitoring progress and identifying areas where further action may be needed.
The programme is based on defined criteria and indicators, with periodic assessments, publication of results and external verification in accordance with its requirements. The renewed certification confirms that Mystic Cruises has completed the requirements established for the relevant assessment period in relation to the indicators applicable to its operations.
The value of this approach lies primarily in its continuity. Certification is not a final destination, but part of an ongoing process that requires regular assessment, monitoring and improvement over time.
For a company specialising in expedition cruises, environmental performance is particularly important. Sailing operations and visits to remote destinations or areas with fragile ecosystems require operational procedures and management practices that take the surrounding environment into account.
In this context, participation in Green Marine Europe provides Mystic Cruises with a framework for examining specific aspects of its environmental impact and assessing the effectiveness of the measures it has implemented. The information gathered through the assessment process can also help inform operational decisions and identify areas requiring further attention. The renewal therefore forms part of an environmental management approach that combines internal procedures with an assessment system based on shared criteria and publicly available results.
Transparency is a key element of the programme. Green Marine Europe makes information about participants’ certification status and results publicly available, enabling stakeholders to understand which aspects are assessed and the criteria used.
It is important to clarify, however, that the certification does not constitute a comprehensive assessment of every environmental aspect of the company, its fleet or all its operations. The recognition applies specifically to the criteria and indicators included in the programme and relevant to the company’s activities.
This clearly defined scope makes it possible to interpret the result accurately, distinguishing participation in the programme from a general environmental certification.
By renewing its Green Marine Europe certification, Mystic Cruises has completed another assessment cycle and reaffirmed its participation in a process built around measurement, transparency and continual improvement.
The presentation of the certificate in Nice, during Green Shipping Day 2026, marks another milestone in a process that extends beyond the recognition itself. The periodic assessment of environmental performance enables the company to monitor the areas already evaluated and identify further opportunities for progress.
Angela Messineo