Cruises News Media Group (CNMG) NP – The eleventh edition of the International Cruise Summit, held on November 17 and 18 in Madrid, focused on sustainability for shipping companies and ports, but also on the challenges they are facing during the complete restart of their activity.
The event was held in person with a full capacity, a sign of the good prospects for the future that both shipping companies and ports foresee; not surprisingly, more than 30 cruise ships will enter service next year.
The ICS 2021 was opened by Marie-Caroline Laurent, CEO of CLIA Europe, and Francisco Toledo, President of Puertos del Estado, and was attended by leading directors and executives from cruise lines, ports, shipping agents and other companies in the sector.
The sector, which was booming before the pandemic, has been gradually recovering since August 2020, but with greater intensity since the summer of 2021, and expects to have approximately 80% of its fleet operational by the end of the year. Most cruise lines have opted to accept only vaccinated passengers on board, who must still undergo a COVID-19 test before embarking—measures supported by 90% of passengers, according to a survey conducted by Cruise Critic earlier this month. Despite these strict measures, the sector still faces specific restrictions, such as in Italy, where any traveler arriving by land or air has freedom of movement, but those arriving on a cruise ship can only visit cities on "bubble" excursions. This restriction is currently a deterrent for many passengers, who continue to postpone their trips in anticipation of its lifting.
Another challenge facing the sector is the destruction during the pandemic of thousands of jobs essential to its operations, such as bus drivers, tour guides, and even the closure of small tour operators and local businesses. Furthermore, cruise companies not only faced enormous difficulties sending their crew members home during the strictest period of lockdown, but are now finding it difficult to recruit staff due to onboard restrictions imposed by protocols. These protocols prevent crew members from disembarking at port calls, and many of the facilities previously available to them, such as the crew gym, are not operational.
During ICS 2021, several new shipping companies were presented, and topics such as the recovery of destinations and the future of the sector were addressed, with "sustainability" being the most frequently repeated word. Ports face significant challenges in creating infrastructure that allows ships to connect to shore power while in port so they can shut down their engines. Furthermore, liquefied natural gas (LNG) is rapidly gaining ground as an alternative fuel to fuel oil, achieving a 100% reduction in sulfur oxide emissions and a 30% reduction in CO2. Therefore, ports will also need to install infrastructure to supply this fuel to ships.
The cruise industry has committed to being carbon neutral by 2050, and in that sense, it will be essential to advance in the use of even cleaner energy sources such as hydrogen and optimize all consumption on board, both in lighting and air conditioning, kitchens, and of course, in propulsion.
Finally, cruise lines are making an extra effort to support travel agencies, investing in marketing to stimulate demand and organizing familiarization trips so they can experience firsthand the safety protocols in place. This is why cruise lines are already seeing strong demand for cruises in 2022 and 2023.
Other highlights:
- In an interview, Mario Zanetii, CEO of Costa Cruises, highlighted the company's rebranding, which is based on passenger concerns regarding sustainability and shorter port calls. The company has increased port call times and added Turkey to its itineraries and as a port of embarkation.
- In the second session, on destination recovery, the difficulties cruise lines face in operating in an environment where each country has different protocols and restrictions were highlighted. Tine Oleman of TUI Cruises believes that destinations should place more trust in the safety and strength of cruise lines' protocols.
- In the 4th session, on crews, Lucy Hodgson, from VShips Leisure, expressed her wish that more women would join the maritime world at all levels.
