Measure, reduce, offset locally. 100 tonnes of CO₂ offset in the Pyrénées-Orientales through Climat Local, silent navigation close to wildlife, naturalist on board: KapMer's eco-responsible approach since 2005.
The Côte Vermeille — its coves, its seagrass meadows, its bottlenose dolphins — is a living heritage. It is also where we have worked every day for twenty years. Protecting this environment isn't optional for us: it's the condition for continuing to share it with you. This page gathers our concrete commitments, with figures and partners you can verify.
3 concrete projects, 100% local — emissions from our navigation support the biodiversity right next door
Maritime regulations impose thermal engines on the Aquavista and the Barracuda — we cannot eliminate all our emissions. Our choice: to acknowledge them, measure them and fund carbon projects in our neighbouring villages, with the Climat Local cooperative and the technical partner Arbre et Paysage 66.
Planting of multifunctional hedges with the technical partner Arbre et Paysage 66. Beyond carbon, the hedges support rainwater infiltration and erosion control.
🌳 30 tonnes of CO₂Setting up fruit trees in agroforestry and 400 linear metres of hedges. A farming system that combines production, sequestration and biodiversity.
🌳 40 tonnes of CO₂A project combining animal welfare and landscape restoration with Arbre et Paysage 66 — because biodiversity and local farming can go hand in hand.
🌳 30 tonnes of CO₂Each boat in the fleet is chosen for the trip it suits — and for its impact on the wildlife and the coast.
48 passengers max · capped at 36 only on the Dolphin Encounter
Our boat dedicated to encounters with the living world. The 1st boat of its kind in Occitanie, and to date the only one in the Pyrénées-Orientales. Electric/hybrid propulsion for silent navigation, with no fuel smell — the condition for approaching the Bottlenose Dolphins with respect. On the Dolphin Encounter, we voluntarily cap capacity at 36 pax for two reasons: viewing comfort and minimum impact on wildlife.
97 passengers · shuttles & cruises
Catamaran used for the Three-Port Cruise, the Argelès-Collioure shuttles and the Fireworks trips. On one trip, the Barracuda emits the equivalent of 3 to 4 cars — but carries 97 passengers. Beyond the pleasure and the live commentary on board, sailing together is a real maritime soft-mobility choice. Navigation emissions offset locally through Climat Local.
141 passengers · Underwater Vision
The largest boat in the fleet, propelled by turbines (hydrojets) rather than propellers: fewer risks for marine wildlife and a wake limited to the surface that preserves the underwater flora. Its 24 fully submerged side windows make the Underwater Vision a powerful tool for raising awareness of marine environment preservation. Navigation emissions offset through Climat Local.
Maritime regulations and safety, but also the current performance of electric at these tonnages, led us to fit the Aquavista and the Barracuda with thermal engines. We follow technology and regulatory developments closely.
We have reduced the engine power of our boats during cruises by nearly 10 % — fewer revs, less fuel consumed, fewer emissions. A discreet technical decision, but one that works on every single trip of the season.
Beyond carbon, six areas we work on every day
Controlled viewing distances, reduced speed, no chasing. On board the Colibr-e, a naturalist guide partnered with Découverte du Vivant shares good practice. Group capped at 36 passengers on the Dolphin Encounter to preserve calm and viewing quality.
Our boat shuttles between Argelès, Collioure and Port-Vendres replace car journeys on summer-saturated roads: less traffic, less wild parking, a calmer coastline.
Every trip is guided live. With the Underwater Vision Cruise, you observe Mediterranean wildlife through the transparent hull — an encounter that makes you want to preserve what you discover.
The Paulilles Bay, a former industrial site returned to nature and now a protected natural area, is best discovered from the sea. A restoration story that shapes how we see the coast.
Maximum waste reduction on board, cups in recycled and recyclable materials for complimentary drinks (washing reusable cups requires a lot of water — an honest trade-off we accept), a crew trained to keep the water clean. Small habits, repeated on every trip.
KapMer is a family-run company since 2005, based at Quai Marco Polo in Argelès-sur-Mer. Local crew, local suppliers, local carbon projects: we live here, we care for here.
A few simple habits to share this commitment with us
We don't claim to be perfect — and over-polished communication around ecology isn't us. Here is where we stand, transparently:
Board the Colibr-e for the gentlest encounter with marine wildlife, or choose a shuttle to leave the car at the harbour. Whichever you pick, we offset the emissions of your trip — locally.