Oceanwide Expeditions (fleet) and PTGA (Polar Tourism Guiding Association) announced that the company is now an Accredited Provider for PTGA.
This means that Oceanwide will be adopting the PTGA's ISO-accredited Workplace Based Assessment program and scheduling staff for PTGA Assessor training. The program is designed specifically for the needs of polar tourism and expedition cruise companies and will provide vital third-party standards organization qualifications for Oceanwide's expedition staff who are new to the industry.
Oceanwide has met all the Accredited Provider requirements with their mentor and training program aimed at comprehensive staff development, demonstrating their commitment to industry standard training and development of staff for the good of the company, guests, and the environment.
The PTGA is a USA-based non-profit, Professional Industry Association that offers an extensive assessment and accreditation program with 23 different syllabi of competency for use by individuals and companies. It provides standards assessment and certification for polar and expedition operators, field staff, and guides who operate either on vessels or on land.
The 2019-built MV Hondius ship is the first of the newest Oceanwide vessels - with fleetmates Janssonius (2022, sistership), Ortelius (1989), Plancius (1976) and two polar-class sailing ships - Noorderlicht (1991) and Rembrandt van Rijn (1994). The newbuild sisterships Hondius and Janssonius are ice-classed LR-PC6 ("Lloyd's Register Polar Class 6") passenger vessels with ice-strengthened hulls.