Cruise lines vow to be net carbon neutral by 2050
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) released its Global Cruise Industry Environmental Technologies and Practices Inventory and the Environmental Report.
It is produced by Oxford Economics and demonstrates the industry’s commitment to responsible tourism practices and continued progress on new environmental technologies.
It supports the industry’s commitment to pursue net carbon neutral cruising by 2050.
"While cruise has been one of the sectors most acutely impacted by the global pandemic, cruise lines remain at the forefront of the challenge to develop new technologies which benefit the entire shipping industry," said Kelly Craighead, president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
"Our industry is committed to pursuing net carbon neutral cruising by 2050, and CLIA and our ocean-going members are investing in new technologies and cleaner fuels now to realise this ambition."
For the first time, the OE Environmental Report also addresses the challenge posed by the need for new, alternative fuels and the steps the industry is taking to support progress.
In addition to LNG, it claims over three-quarters of the global cruise fleet by passenger capacity is now equipped to use alternative fuels.
Alternative fuel sources to heavy fuel oils being developed include biodiesel, methanol, ammonia, hydrogen, and electric batteries.
The report notes that there remain engineering, supply, and regulatory hurdles before the large-scale adoption of such fuels can take place.
"This report shows that the cruise industry is resilient, innovative and focused on the future" said Pierfrancesco Vago, Chairman of CLIA Global.
"We know that there is more to be done but the cruise industry has shown both its commitment and its capability to rise to the challenge."
The report notes that CLIA ocean-going cruise lines continue to make progress across a range of areas, such as shore-side power capability, exhaust gas cleaning systems, and advanced wastewater treatment systems.
CLIA member cruise lines have committed to a 40% reduction in the rate of carbon emissions across the global fleet by 2030 compared to 2008.
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