Serving 2 Million Fresher Meals: Hydroponic Harvests Improve Wellbeing and Reduce Waste
Berge Bulk, one of the world’s leading dry bulk ship owners, has harvested over 1.2 metric tonnes of fresh vegetables at sea in 2024 through its fleetwide hydroponics programme. Launched in 2019, the initiative is part of Berge Bulk’s broader efforts to improve crew’s wellbeing and reduce food and packaging waste. It supports Berge Bulk’s YouMatter wellbeing programme and their Blue Matters environmental campaign.
In partnership with Aerospring Hydroponics, Berge Bulk installed 150 advanced hydroponic systems across 75 vessels. These systems enable crew members to grow vegetables and herbs such as lettuce, cherry tomatoes, capsicum, chili, basil, and rosemary in a soil-free, nutrient-rich water environment.
The programme also contributes to the company’s environmental sustainability ambitions. Michael Blanding, Head of Sustainability & Communications, explains, “We serve nearly 2 million meals annually, so growing our own produce means that we are using less plastic food packaging and avoiding emissions from transportation of food. We are also seeing a significant decrease in food waste on board.”
As of the end of 2024, Berge Bulk had achieved a 12% reduction in food waste per vessel (vs. 2021 baseline), ahead of the company’s stated target to achieve a 10% reduction by the end of 2025. In 2024, top-performing vessels included Berge Phan Xi Pang (124 kg harvested) and Berge Olympus (88 kg harvested).
To encourage participation and creativity, Berge Bulk runs regular fleetwide hydroponics competitions. Vessels compete to grow the heaviest capsicum, harvest the largest volume of produce, or create the most innovative dish using hydroponic ingredients.
From sustainability to seafarer wellbeing, Berge Bulk continues to innovate at sea – proving that a greener, healthier future can start onboard.
