Aqua Expeditions Appoints Juan Díaz Alván Community Outreach Manager
Aqua Expeditions has a strong commitment to identifying and helping to meet the needs of local communities in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, where it operates its luxury vessel, the M/V Aqua. To underscore that commitment, Founder and Chief Executive Officer Francesco Galli-Zugaro recently appointed Juan Díaz Alván to the newly created position of Community Research Manager.
“I am delighted to welcome Mr. Díaz Alván into the Aqua Expeditions family,” Galli-Zugaro noted. “His very important role will be to help identify the specific needs of the communities in Pacaya Samiria, and to help us implement plans to provide meaningful assistance.”
Galli-Zugaro noted that this is just one part of an overall sustainability project that the company conducts in the areas of Amazonia where the M/V Aqua takes its passengers.
Mr. Díaz Alván is a biologist who specializes both in working with communities in protected areas, as well as in the study of Amazon birds. He will manage relationship-building between Aqua Expeditions and the local riverside communities, and will also work with the leadership of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve and other institutions related to tourism and environmental conservation in Amazonia. He is a graduate of Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana (UNAP).
Reaching Out to Fourteen Communities
“One of our company’s key goals is to have a positive social impact on the some 14 Amazon communities that are touched by the M/V Aqua,” Galli-Zugaro explained. “We want that impact to include environmental conservation and protection of natural resources. That means we need to find environmentally friendly ways for these people to earn their livings.”
Mr. Díaz Alván will help in such areas as consulting regarding the manufacture of handicrafts; the importance of conserving key natural resources to support tourism; and the implementation of Community First Aid Centers. He will also coordinate assistance from the M/V Aqua’s paramedics, when certain health problems arise in the communities visited. In addition, he will implement specific environmental changes, including the use of garbage cans, especially for plastic items that might otherwise land in the river, and the collection of used batteries, which can seriously contaminate the water.
Aqua Expeditions is also a pioneer in establishing a Memorandum of Understanding, regarding cooperation with the chief of Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. This agreement also helps support conservation of natural resources among the communities in the buffer area near the reserve, along the Marañón, Ucayali, and Amazon rivers.
At Aqua Expeditions, we believe that responsible eco-friendly operations play a crucial role in protecting the health of the Amazonia people, Amazon wildlife and the Amazon rainforest. We are genuinely committed to keeping our Peru rivers clean and beautiful, for today and for generations to come. As a result, our environmentally responsible ecotourism practices have been developed to be world-class and well above the environmental protection requirements of local regulations.
Waste Management
Meticulous waste management represents a major step towards ensuring conservation of the environment. All waste is treated onboard in fully-contained storage tanks. The result is 100% clean, sterile water that can safely be discharged into the rivers of the Amazon Basin. In fact we are the only vessel operating on the Amazon to have a sophisticated sewage treatment plant. Our waste storage tanks comply fully with IMO and U.S. Coast Guard standards.
Water Purification
Water is a scarce commodity and an essential resource vital for human health. Natural water is contaminated by undesirable substances or microorganisms that can be harmful. We collect and treat river water on board by using our 7,000 liter purification system in order to provide water fit for human consumption.
Fuel Efficiency
Our M/V AQUA’s new Cummins NT 855 2007 model engines are fuel efficient, quieter, virtually smoke free and with a marked reduction in emissions. Furthermore, in order to minimize noise and vibration on board, our Marine Generators have been encapsulated. All these measures comply with the latest IMO and EPA standards.
Engine Emissions
The three expedition skiffs come equipped with new 40 HP Mercury Outboard engines providing Three-Star Ultra-Low Emissions, as certified by the California Air Resource Board, and producing 65% lower emissions than engines meeting U.S. EPA's 2006 standards.
Food Security
Ecolab provides the most effective and efficient cleaning, food safety and infection control programs available worldwide. Our use of their cleaning and sanitation products increases safety, lowers consumption of water and energy and reduces the chemicals and waste released into the environment.
The M/V AQUA is the only Amazon vessel to be certified by Shipowners, which is a private Protection and Indemnity Club that certifies vessels for safety and responsible operations. The vessel has undergone rigorous inspection in order to comply with their surveyor’s levels of safety.
At Aqua Expeditions we are truly dedicated to preserving the glorious, but environmentally threatened, Amazon Basin and will continue seeking new eco-friendly practices and initiatives to further improve our performance.
