‘Big step forward’: Cruise industry sees progress in climate protection

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The cruise industry is seeing progress in efforts to improve climate protection (for example, equipping ships with shore power connections). More than 210 cruise ships are expected to be equipped with shore power by 2028, industry association CLIA announced in Hamburg on Wednesday.

This corresponds to 72 percent of cruise ships and 74 percent of global passenger capacity. Accordingly, 120 ships of CLIA member companies are currently equipped for shore electricity connection.

Coastal power is recognized as an important component of climate neutrality in shipping and cleaner air in port locations. Until now, many offshore vessels have kept their engines running in port to power themselves, with associated exhaust gases and CO2 emissions.

According to CLIA, 32 ports worldwide currently offer at least one berth for cruise ships with shore power connections; this is three more ports than last year. In Germany, such connections are available at the ports of Hamburg, Kiel and Rostock.

The industry association also highlights pilot programs and attempts to power cruise ships with alternative fuels in its 2023 environmental report released Wednesday. Among sustainable marine fuels, the CLIA counts biofuels, synthetic carbon fuels, or carbon-free fuels such as methanol and hydrogen.

“Our data shows that our members are taking a big step forward in adopting new environmental technologies,” CLIA President Kelly Craighead said in a statement.

Environmental organization Nabu, on the other hand, recently complained that the cruise industry has recently made very slow progress on climate protection. While presenting their 11th cruise rankings, environmentalists criticized, among other things, that about half of the major cruise ships still use heavy fuel oil. (SDA)

Source :Blick