Cruise Ship Industry on a Mission to Reduce its Carbon Footprint

Under scrutiny for its environmental footprint, Europe’s cruise industry is blasting the horn that it’s investing heavily in new tech and innovation to sail into a greener future.

FREMONT, CA: Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 30 million passengers were travelling annually throughout the world. Now, with a new worldwide aim of net-zero carbon cruising by 2050, the industry is making a comeback. The industry has already begun rethinking ship design and operation in response to mounting pressure for more environmentally friendly and responsible travel, including the exploration of alternative fuel and power technologies and stepped-up recycling and sustainability in supply chains. However, environmental activists may feel that the 2050 carbon neutrality goal is a little late. The idea of building the first emission-free ship has received a lot of attention. Technology suggests that this spacecraft won't be accessible until 2030 or 2035.

Although cruising is acknowledged as a significant contributor to the travel and tourist industry in Europe, university research published last year indicated that a large ship can generate more carbon dioxide than 12,000 cars. It also made note of the fact that a night spent at sea uses 12 times as much energy as one spent at a hotel. More than 20 billion Euros has already been invested internationally in ships with cutting-edge technology and cleaner fuels to lower air pollution and increase efficiency. For example, Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS) have been installed to remove the sulphur content from exhaust fumes and to minimise particulate matter (the solid particles generated by burning). A cruise ship that Silversea Cruises, a company based in Monaco, calls game-changing, will make its debut the following year.

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The most recent Project Evolution will run on three different types of sources of energy, including a fuel cell system, battery technology, and dual-fuel engines that use liquified natural gas (LNG) as well as conventional marine gas oil as its primary fuel source. Although LNG emits around 25 per cent less carbon dioxide (CO2) than traditional maritime fuels, methane emissions, a powerful greenhouse gas, continue to be a major concern for advocacy groups like the International Council on Clean Transportation. The Silver Nova ship, which can carry over 700 guests, will run entirely on fuel cells while in port, allowing the engines to be turned off. According to Silversea Cruises, it will be the first hybrid luxury cruise ship of its class to be emission-free when moored. Along with this, the industry has pledged that by the year 2035, all ships calling at ports with shoreside energy will be equipped to utilise it. However, cruise operators claim that outdated port infrastructure is impeding widespread usage of technology.

The Costa Group, a division of Carnival Corporation with headquarters in Italy, is making significant LNG investments similar to Silversea. Costa presently has four LNG-powered ships in its fleet; the first two joined in 2019 and the last two joined in 2018. Additionally, it is recycling onboard food waste into fertiliser and getting ready to test out rechargeable batteries. The corporation claims that the cruise workers themselves are a driving element behind its green development. Additionally being developed as heavy fuel oil substitutes are biodiesel, methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen. Before widespread use, however, there are engineering, supply, and regulatory challenges that must be overcome. Wärtsilä, a Finnish firm with a workshop in Genoa, develops and offers marine technology, with a particular emphasis on novel fuels. Methanol is a leading candidate for the green transition in this situation since it complies with environmental rules, has a reliable supply, and is also very simple to install into existing ships.

The quest for sustainability trickles down to those developing the next generation of cruise ships, who are likewise under pressure to innovate in a way that is as environmentally friendly as possible.