Cruise ships are an easy target for unverified accusations of pollution: they are large and visible, they burn fuel oil and carry many people, so it is deduced that they generate a lot of waste.
Article from CruisesNews magazine, issue 48 – March 2019
Not only is this an inaccurate conclusion, but a study by the prestigious law firm Arnecke Sibeth Dabelstein highlights the unfair treatment the sector is receiving when compared to others.
We can explain a thousand times that on cruise ships everything recyclable is recycled, everything that can be purified is purified, and that as soon as technology existed to filter gases, it was implemented massively, but doubts based on hoaxes or manifestly erroneous data will remain.
Arnecke Sibeth Dabelstein's study puts the sector to the test with objective data, with numbers, with sector-to-sector comparisons, and that is irrefutable.
Esther Mallach, author of the study, surprised us all at the recent International Cruise Summit in Madrid with a groundbreaking insight. It's common to read in newspapers the mantra that "a medium-sized cruise ship consumes 150 tons of fuel oil per day, equivalent to the particulate matter emissions of 1 million cars." While these figures can be debated depending on the type of engine and the ship's activities, we simply cannot compare cruise ships to cars. A car is a means of transportation, nothing more. A cruise ship is home to thousands of people, not only transporting them but also generating energy for lighting, air conditioning, heating, and electricity for all kinds of daily tasks. In other words, the emissions of a cruise ship should be compared to the emissions of a city, since passengers live their entire lives on board, just as city dwellers don't just spend all day in their cars but consume energy throughout the day for their daily activities.
On cruise ships, 60% more waste is recycled per person than the average citizen recycles on land.
And indeed, as floating cities, cruise ships must address many other environmental challenges besides atmospheric emissions, such as waste management, greywater disposal, and industrial oil disposal. Although many headlines call for “restrictions and laws” for cruise ships, the truth is that all of this is perfectly covered and addressed in the MARPOL Convention of the International Maritime Organization.
The problem of solid waste: plastics.
Both the International Energy Agency and the European Commission have concluded in their respective reports that 80% of the plastics found in the ocean come from land-based sources, and that more than 40% of that originates in five Asian countries: China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. In line with this, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research estimates that 90% of the plastic that reaches the oceans comes from 10 rivers, 8 of which are in Asia, and two in Africa: the Nile and the Niger.
These figures are devastating, but how do cruise ships manage solid waste? According to Annex V of the MARPOL Convention, it is prohibited to dump any type of solid waste into the sea except for food scraps, which are ground up and dehydrated before a decision is made as to whether they are incinerated on board or discharged at sea under certain restrictions: never within 3 nautical miles of land, and in special areas like the Baltic Sea, only if there is no nearby port with facilities for discharging this type of waste. In recent years, cruise lines have implemented significant food waste reduction programs, including donating prepared but uneaten food to charities.
The emissions from a cruise ship, where its passengers live 24/7, should be compared to the emissions of cities, and not just to those of cars.
Regarding the rest—plastic, glass, cardboard, electronic waste, and so on—separation and storage on board are mandatory until the ship reaches port, where they are unloaded by companies specializing in their treatment. This is why cruise ships recycle 60% more waste per person than the average citizen on land. While cruise ship passengers are estimated to generate 680 grams of waste per person per day, the average in the US is 1.9 kg, and studies attribute 2 kg to hotel guests on land.
Despite everything, the cruise industry is redoubling its efforts to reduce waste, especially plastics, and took up the fight on its own long before the authorities.
In February 2018, the largest cruise lines committed to eliminating single-use plastics from their ships by 2022. A clear example of this type of plastic is drinking straws, which almost all cruise lines have replaced with straws made of other materials. Some companies, like MSC Cruises, have set out to go even further and eliminate single-use plastics well before the committed year.
Emissions to the atmosphere, the great challenge
There is great concern about gas emissions into the atmosphere and their effect on climate change and human health.
What else is the cruise industry doing about these pollutants? Well, the truth is that with current or upcoming restrictions, ships being built today emit far fewer gases into the atmosphere, but a new revolution is just around the corner: the use of liquefied natural gas as fuel.
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) emits no SOx or PM, reduces NOx emissions by 90%, and CO2 emissions by 20%. It is undoubtedly the energy of the future, as evidenced by the fact that 25 of the 122 ships to be built between now and 2027 will use LNG as fuel. The first LNG-powered cruise ship, the AIDAnova, is already operational, and the second will be the Costa Smeralda, starting in November 2019.
The cruise industry used to emit 0.2% of global CO2 emissions, but thanks to energy-saving programs, it has even managed to lower that figure.
The construction of cleaner ships and the scrapping of older ones promises another significant reduction in emissions in the medium term, in addition to that already achieved with the battery of savings measures implemented that we discussed earlier.
The cruise industry not only stays ahead of many regulations, but it is also a good compliant operator. Between January 1, 2014, and August 22, 2016, only 20 cruise ship deficiencies related to Annex VI of MARPOL were reported, while the rest of the maritime sector reported 1,160 deficiencies, resulting in 148 ship detentions and 5 expulsions.
Cruises: A Responsible Sector, Unfairly Treated.
With the data in hand, the cruise sector is a responsible player that continually strives to reduce its emissions into the atmosphere, recycle its waste, and treat it as appropriately as possible. Ships have an average lifespan of 30 to 40 years, and indeed, a ship built in 1989 does not have the same facilities and technology as a newly built one. Gas scrubbers require considerable space for installation, and there are older ships where this is not feasible. These ships will have to use low-sulfur fuel, which will further increase their operating costs, and ultimately, they will end up being withdrawn from the market.
In the coming years, more than twenty cruise ships powered by Liquefied Natural Gas will be built, which will not emit SOx or PM, and will reduce NOx emissions by 90% and CO2 emissions by 20%.
There's still a long way to go and room for improvement. Whether cruise ship emissions are low enough is debatable, but what's certain is that when we compare them to the rest of the tourism sector or the everyday emissions of our cities, there's a huge disproportion between their emissions and the media coverage they receive.
Wastewater Discharge
The MARPOL convention allows the discharge of wastewater from 12 miles from the coast, while CLIA member companies, which are the majority, have a policy of not discharging untreated wastewater anywhere.
But not only that, 26 of the ships currently on order will have AWT, Advanced Water Treatment, so it is estimated that 50% of the new ships to be built in the next 10 years will use AWT.
Hydrocarbon emissions are divided into at least four areas.
CO2: This is a greenhouse gas that we all know and that is emitted in large quantities during combustion. Let's put the contribution of the cruise industry into perspective.
It is estimated that the world's fleet of ships (passengers and cargo) emitted about 816 million tons of CO2 in 2012, which represents only 2.1% of the planet's global emissions.
The cruise sector emits about 35 million tons of CO2 (2014 data), which represents only 4.3% of the emissions from all cargo and passenger ships, or 0.2% of all CO2 emissions on the planet.
The cruise industry has been a pioneer in the implementation of gas scrubbers, a new technology that has not been available until a few years ago, and which considerably reduces emissions into the atmosphere.
However, other recent studies (2017) lower the emission figure for cruise ships to 19.3 million tons, possibly thanks to the implementation of saving programs such as the generalization of LED lights, the pause of energy consumption in cabins when the passenger is not there, new friction reduction systems in the ship's hull, shorter routes, etc.
To provide context, IATA reported that the entire aviation sector, including passengers and cargo, emitted 844 million tons of CO2 in 2017, a figure similar to that of the entire maritime sector.
NOx: NOx refers to all nitrogen oxides, as it is emitted as NO2 but quickly converts to NO3, and in combination with hydrogen in the atmosphere, it becomes acid rain. These oxides are responsible for the demonization of diesel vehicles, which emitted more of these gases than gasoline vehicles, although less CO2. Reducing NOx emissions goes hand in hand with using more efficient combustion engines. For decades, Annex VI of the MARPOL Convention has established a timetable for the implementation of NOx emission limits for marine engines.
The companies associated with CLIA, which are the majority, have a policy of not discharging untreated wastewater anywhere.
Ships built from January 2000 onwards must be certified to Tier I limits. Those built from January 2011 onwards comply with Tier II limits, which significantly reduce emissions at both low and high engine speeds. Finally, ships built from January 2016 onwards that wish to operate in the North American and Caribbean emissions control area must comply with Tier III, which reduces NOx emissions by 80%. Since many cruise ships operating in Europe spend the winter in the Caribbean, this part of the world benefits from this restriction. Ships wishing to operate in the North Sea and Baltic Sea emissions control area from 2021 onwards must also certify that their engines meet Tier III requirements.
For a cruise line that builds new ships, it makes no sense to install a Tier II engine and risk not being able to operate that ship in either the Caribbean or the Baltic.
SOx: The abbreviation SOx refers to all sulfur oxides. These are irritating and toxic gases that, in combination with atmospheric moisture, form sulfuric acid, also producing acid rain.
The MARPOL Convention has also established a restrictive timetable for SOx emissions for years, with the reduction of sulfur in fuel from 3.5% to 0.5% coming into effect in 2020. Because low-sulfur fuel is scarce and more expensive, the cruise industry has been a pioneer in implementing gas scrubbers, a new technology that has only been available for a few years. However, 106 cruise ships, 38% of the entire CLIA member cruise fleet, have already installed gas scrubbers, which reduce SOx emissions by 80% and also significantly reduce emissions of particulate matter, the fourth largest pollutant.
52 cruise ships are equipped with Shore Power connections to draw power from the port and shut down their engines, but very few ports have this technology.
In addition, 52 ships are equipped with Shore Power connections, allowing them to stop their engines when docked and draw electricity from shore, but very few ports are equipped with this technology.
Particulate matter (PM): These are particles of metal debris formed by combustion, commonly known as soot, which are also emitted by everyday motor vehicles. On cruise ships, with the installation of exhaust scrubbers on 38% of the fleet, PM emissions are reduced by between 30% and 50%.
Port of Barcelona: Towards Sustainability.
Barcelona is undoubtedly the largest cruise port in the Mediterranean, and one of the largest in the world after the ports of Florida and the Caribbean. In 2018, it broke its records with 830 port calls, representing more than 3 million passengers. With great power comes great responsibility, and the Port of Barcelona is taking significant steps to improve the environmental impact of its operations.
According to the Barcelona Regional Institute, a public body under the Barcelona City Council, activity in the Port of Barcelona results in the emission of 5,545.8 tons of NOx per year, and 505.68 tons of PM10 (particulate matter with a diameter between 2.5 and 10 micrometers). 36% of these emissions come from cargo ships, 29% from container ships, 14% from ferries, and only 12% from cruise ships.
If we consider the entire city, it receives 59.9% of its NOx from vehicle traffic, 13% from regional pollution, 11.2% from other sources, 7.6% from the Port of Barcelona, and 8.3% from local industry. Based on this data, we know that cruise ships are responsible for 1.2% of the city's NOx and 0.23% of PM10. Therefore, as long as cars, trucks, and buses continue to burn petroleum products, it will be difficult to reduce pollution levels in cities.
In February 2018, the largest cruise companies made a commitment to eliminate single-use plastics from their ships by 2022.
But in the environment, many small improvements can make a big difference. That's why the Port of Barcelona has developed its Air Quality Improvement Plan, which is part of the broader regional plans developed by the Catalan Government. This plan comprises 25 actions implemented through 53 initiatives in diverse areas such as promoting rail transport, reducing emissions from ships and terminal machinery, and short sea shipping.
Undoubtedly, one of the actions that will have the greatest impact on cruise traffic is the promotion of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as a fuel for ships, terminal machinery, and trucks. To this end, the Port of Barcelona is participating in several R&D projects, such as CLEANPORT and CORE LNG Hive. In the latter, it is involved in four pilot programs:
• A mobile natural gas generator to supply electricity to ships while they are docked.
• Adaptation of gantry cranes at container terminals to run on natural gas.
• Modification of a bunkering barge for LNG refueling of ships.
• Design of a natural gas tugboat.
Not only is it promoting the development of new technologies to use natural gas as fuel, but it has also implemented an ambitious policy of discounts on ship fees to incentivize the arrival of cleaner cruise ships and cargo vessels. The Port Authority and the City Council reached an agreement to relocate all cruise ship activity to the adjacent dock, leaving the area closer to the city for public enjoyment.
Continuing with the small actions, it will also promote the renewal of the entire fleet of vehicles of the Port of Barcelona with 100% electric vehicles, and the creation of the necessary infrastructure to make this operational.
Undoubtedly, the public sector plays a fundamental role in promoting new energy sources that improve air quality, and the Port of Barcelona's commitment in this regard will surely bring good news in environmental measurements in the medium term.
