The HX Foundation, expedition cruise line HX’s charitable arm, has announced its first 2025 grant cycle results, distributing over €222,754 to global conservation and community projects in polar and oceanic regions where the brand operates.
New Grant Recipients (€63,154 total):
- Argentina: Franciscana dolphin acoustic behavior research and underwater Antarctic Peninsula monitoring
- Iceland: SEA LIFE TRUST’s new avian flu sterile testing area for puffin rehabilitation
- Germany: Continued science collaboration aboard HX vessels for microplastic and atmospheric data collection
- USA: Tongass National Forest trail maintenance in Alaska
- Norway: Arctic science communication book project targeting families
- UK: Penguin population research in Falklands/South Georgia
Multi-Year Commitments: Additional €107,500 allocated for 2025 plus €52,500 committed for 2026, supporting ongoing partnerships including Greenlandic children’s welfare, Antarctic humpback whale research, Svalbard rescue operations, and Orkney wildlife conservation.
The Foundation emphasized increased importance of private funding as some countries reduce climate science investment.
Unique Insight: HX Foundation’s grant strategy reveals expedition cruising’s evolution from environmental observer to active conservation participant. By funding projects directly in their sailing regions – from dolphin research in Argentina to puffin rescue in Iceland – HX demonstrates how expedition operators can transform their environmental footprint from impact-neutral to impact-positive. This model positions guests as indirect conservation contributors, potentially becoming the gold standard for sustainable expedition tourism where travel revenue directly funds preservation of the very ecosystems visitors come to experience.
