The ‘Say No to LNG’ global shipping campaign has launched a public petition to call out Royal Caribbean’s allegedly misleading claims about LNG as a clean shipping fuel.
This petition follows on the heels of a new report released by Transport & Environment (T&E), revealing the huge increase in cruise ship sizes and numbers.
To put things in perspective, Royal Caribbean’s LNG-powered ‘Icon of the Seas’ is five times larger than the ‘Titanic’, the lobby organisation said.
It claimed that these behemoths were not only contributing to a surge in methane emissions impacting public health, they were also receiving mounting criticism for their deceptive advertisements, which can lead consumers and the general public to believe their switch to LNG fuel is a climate solution.
Elissama Menezes, Global Director of Say No to LNG (pictured), said: “Royal Caribbean’s promotion of LNG as a clean fuel is a deceptive tactic designed to mislead consumers, investors, and the public. Their flashy sustainability initiatives hide the grim reality underneath – there’s no fun with LNG; it’s a fuel with severe health, climate, and community impacts.
“Royal Caribbean’s promotion of LNG as a green solution is nothing more than a smokescreen: LNG is neither clean nor green. Together, we will hold them accountable and send a clear message to the cruise industry that we will not be fooled by their slick marketing,” she said.
The petition provides an opportunity for the public to play a crucial role in holding Royal Caribbean accountable. It calls on Royal Caribbean to:
- Cease misleading advertising about LNG.
- Disclose comprehensive data on environmental and human health impacts.
- Prevent frauds and financial risks associated with LNG investments.
- Phase out LNG-powered cruise ships.
- Commit to true zero-emission solutions.
It has urged port communities, cruise patrons, environmental and health organisations, investors, and other stakeholders to sign the petition and demand accountability from Royal Caribbean, it said.
Say No to LNG was recently set up as a global campaign lobby dedicated to exposing the environmental, social, and financial risks associated with LNG as a shipping fuel.
The campaign works in partnership to promote sustainable pathways for shipping de-carbonisation and to achieve full commercial viability of a zero-emissions shipping value chain.
