The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the voice of the global cruise industry, publishes its fourth annual report on cruise industry environmental technologies and practices prepared by Oxford Economics.
The report highlights the progress CLIA cruise lines are making in developing and implementing advanced technologies for emissions reduction, greater energy efficiency, and greater environmental sustainability.
While cruise ships represent less than 1 percent of the global maritime fleet, this latest report confirms how cruise lines have taken a leading role in adopting technologies that benefit the entire shipping industry. The cruise industry has invested more than $23.5 billion in new technologies and cleaner fuels to reduce air emissions and achieve greater efficiency. This represents an increase of $1.5 billion compared to the 2019 report.
“Throughout these past months, as we have worked to overcome the impact of COVID-19, the cruise industry has remained focused on our commitment to a cleaner, more sustainable future. Considering the progress of the last ten years, I can only imagine what we will achieve together in the next ten,” said Kelly Craighead, CLIA President and CEO. “This report confirms that we are on the right track. I commend our partners for their continued leadership and commitment to the highest standards of responsible tourism,” Craighead added.
CLIA cruise lines were the first sector of the maritime industry to commit to reducing their carbon emissions rate by 40% by 2030 compared to 2008 levels. As the 2020 report notes, CLIA cruise lines continue to work diligently to achieve ambitious targets and meet the growing demands for protecting the planet. Substantial progress has been made in the following areas:
- LNG as a Fuel*: The 2020 report concluded that 49% of new shipbuilding orders will be for vessels that rely on Liquefied Natural Gas for primary propulsion, an increase of 51% compared to 2018.
- Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS)*: Over 69% of the in-service fleet already uses EGCS that meet and frequently exceed atmospheric emissions regulations, representing a 25% increase compared to 2018. In addition, 96% of non-LNG-powered vessels on order will incorporate EGCS, representing a 21% increase compared to 2019.
- Advanced wastewater treatment systems: 99% of vessels in the construction pipeline will be equipped with advanced wastewater treatment systems (raising overall capacity to 78.5%). Currently, 70% of CLIA's in-service fleet capacity is already equipped with these systems (a 5% increase compared to 2019).
- Possibility of shore power connection when ships are docked: Cruise ships are increasingly equipped with the technology to draw electricity from shore, allowing them to shut down their engines. There is growing collaboration with ports and governments to increase port capacity in this area.
75% of the ships in the construction pipeline will be equipped with systems for electrical connection to shore or will be prepared to add this connection in the future.
32% of the fleet in service (13% more than in 2019) is equipped to connect to the electrical grid in the 14 ports around the world where that capacity is available.
Progress in these areas demonstrates that CLIA's vision is comprehensive, ambitious, and realistic. It aims to balance growth with policy changes and technologies that help preserve the air and oceans in which the industry operates.
“The cruise industry works daily to move towards responsible tourism. It recognizes that increased and sustained investment in research is essential to identifying and manufacturing new fuels and forms of propulsion,” said Adam Goldstein, Chairman of CLIA Global. “This is why CLIA, along with other partners in the maritime sector, has proposed creating and funding a $5 billion Research and Development Fund to identify technologies and energy sources that can reduce our environmental footprint and thus meet the ambitious targets set by the IMO.”.
