MSC Group's Cruise Division today announced its commitment to joining the Green Marine Europe Seal, a voluntary environmental certification program for the maritime industry, becoming the first major cruise line in the world to do so. Following the success of Green Marine's environmental certification program in North America, the initiative was launched in Europe in 2020, with the aim of creating a system that would help mariners demonstrate their environmental impact on a European scale. This initiative supports MSC Group's Cruise Division's commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
To ensure success, the group's two cruise brands, MSC Cruises and the newly launched Explora Journeys, have committed to measuring their environmental impact annually according to the program's guidelines, evaluating eight key indicators: aquatic invasive species, polluting emissions into the air and atmosphere, greenhouse gas emissions, waste management and dumping into the sea, underwater noise, and recycling on ships.
The company's two brands have committed to submitting and publishing their annual environmental impact results to a verified external audit.
Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Group's Cruise division, said: “ In line with our commitment to sustainability and our promise to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, the Green Marine Europe label will help us to certify these advances, so that we can share them with our passengers, the communities we serve, and our other partners.”
Minas Myrtidis, Vice President of Compliance and Environmental Operations at MSC Cruises, confirmed: “The certification obtained by the Green Marine Europe Seal across our entire fleet will further demonstrate our commitment to environmental responsibility, as it also reflects our desire to continuously improve in this area.”
