Huge investments are being made to wean the industry off its dependence on fossil fuels and develop more environmentally friendly alternatives. Although liquefied natural gas (LNG) is now the fuel of choice for modern ships, it is not a long-term solution due to the amounts of harmful methane (methane slip) it releases into the atmosphere. This highlights the need for alternatives such as biofuels and battery power. The challenge, however, is to produce sufficient quantities of the former to meet demand and to adapt the latter for use on larger vessels.
According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), shipping companies have reduced their emissions by an average of 16 percent over the past five years and are pursuing numerous sustainable energy sources in cooperation with fuel producers and engine manufacturers.
“The cruise industry is investing billions in ships to achieve its goal of net zero emissions by 2050 and is making great progress,” said Andy Harmer, managing director for the UK and Ireland. “Thanks to cutting-edge technology, each new class of ship is more sustainable than the last, helping the industry to lead the way in this aspect of responsible tourism.”
In fact, the industry’s efforts to achieve its sustainability goals when it comes to connecting to shore power are hampered by the lack of onshore infrastructure.
To date, 120 CLIA member ships, nearly half of the association’s ships, have access to shore power in port—and this number is expected to rise to more than 210 by 2028—but few locations offer this option.
Of the British ports, only Southampton currently has electricity, and only for one ship at a time; Portsmouth, on the other hand, is due to have a shore connection from next year.
MSC Cruises is one of the cruise lines at the forefront of green initiatives. The company proved that sustainable travel is possible last summer with a historic voyage from France to Denmark on its new ship, MSC Euribia, using liquefied biogas, which has been praised for its net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
