More than 15% of the cruise ships to be delivered in the next five years will be designed to be fitted with fuel cells or batteries, claimed Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in its latest report.
In addition, 85% of CLIA’s members’ ships, due to enter service between now and 2028, will be able to plug into shoreside electricity, thus allowing engines to be switched off at the berth, resulting in significant emissions reduction.
Other examples highlighted in the report included the increasing number of vessels delivered over the new few years that will be able to incorporate zero-emissions propulsion systems when available.
These are just some of the findings in CLIA’s ‘2022 Global Cruise Industry Environmental Technologies and Practices Report’ released last week.
This report reinforces the cruise industry’s credentials as an innovator and early adopter of environmental technologies, the association claimed.
CLIA President, and CEO, Kelly Craighead (pictured), said: “Innovation and engineering are at the heart of the industry’s vision for net zero carbon cruising. The cruise industry continues to lead the way by investing billions to incorporate new technologies, accelerate development of sustainable marine fuels—in particular, engines capable of using sustainable marine fuels—and enable shoreside electricity connectivity on existing and new ships.
“These are the fundamental building blocks for the de–carbonisation of global shipping, and we are acting now for the future,” she said.
Despite the progress made, the report stresses that a transition to sustainable marine fuels remained essential to achieving the maritime industry’s de-carbonisation goals and underscores the urgent need for governments to support research efforts to accelerate development of these fuels so that they are safe, viable and available for use at scale.
To that end, CLIA is a supporting organisation to the Getting to Zero Coalition’s Call to Action for De-carbonisation of Shipping. This is in addition to its individual cruise line members being partnered with a number of other coalitions and organisations that are working to find de-carbonisation solutions.
“The cruise industry has always been and will continue to be at the cutting edge of innovation when it comes to environmental and maritime technologies,” said CLIA’s Global Chairman, MSC Cruises’ Pierfrancesco Vago. “For this next phase of our journey to net-zero as an industry, we now need clear support from governments and policy-makers to ensure that the right infrastructure is developed also on land and to encourage the investment and innovation that will be required for the development of sustainable marine fuels at scale.”
The report outlined that CLIA’s ocean-going cruise lines continued to progress reductions in emissions:
- Shoreside Power Capability– Cruise lines continue to make significant investments for cruise ships to connect to shoreside electricity, allowing engines to be switched off in port.
Some 40% of global capacity (up 20% year-on-year) is fitted to operate with shoreside electricity in the 29 ports worldwide (less than 2% of the world’s ports) where the capability is provided in at least one berth.
Around 98% of newbuilding capacity on the orderbook (between now and 2028) is either committed to be fitted with shoreside electricity systems, or will be configured to add shoreside power in the future.
- Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Fuel– The 2022 report found 61% of newbuilding capacity will rely on LNG fuel for primary propulsion.
The use of LNG results in 95% – 100% fewer particulate matter (PM) emissions, virtually zero sulphur emissions, and an 85% reduction in nitrogen emissions. As a transitional fuel, LNG provides real benefits now, but also allows LNG-ready ships to adapt to a future generation of sustainable marine fuels.*
- Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS)– More than 79% of global capacity utilises EGCS to meet or exceed air emissions requirements, representing an increase of 7% compared to 2021. In addition, 88% of capacity of non-LNG newbuildings will have EGCS installed, in line with already high historical level of investments.
- Advanced Wastewater Treatment Systems– All of new ships on order are specified to have advanced wastewater treatment systems and currently 78% of the CLIA ocean-going cruise line fleet capacity is fitted with advanced wastewater treatment systems (9% increase, compared to 2021).
The cruise industry’s commitment to pursue net-zero carbon cruising by 2050, announced earlier this year, is consistent with the target set by the Paris Agreement, and is supported by the industry’s intermediary objective to reduce the rate of carbon by 40% across the global fleet by 2030, compared to 2008, which is consistent with the IMO’s Initial Strategy for GHG reduction.
*Sustainable marine fuels can include biofuels, plus bio and synthetic fuels, methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen.
