On November 15th and 16th, the most relevant international professionals in the cruise industry will meet in Madrid during the twelfth edition of the International Cruise Summit, the prestigious congress that brings the sector together every year at the Meliá Castilla Hotel.
The cruise industry faces the future with optimism, enjoying very promising booking levels that could catapult it to record figures in 2023, but at the same time it is forced to overcome the difficulties of the current international moment, with high rates of inflation in basic goods and high fuel prices.
Specifically, 28 of the new ships to be launched in the coming years will use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a cleaner transitional fuel while other emission-neutral and viable forms of energy generation in marine environments are developed. LNG, however, has doubled in price in just one year.
This is just one example of the difficulties the industry is encountering in advancing its decarbonization goals, which also depend on ports having electrical outlets that supply green energy to ships while in port so they can shut down their engines. Only a few ports worldwide have this system, which requires significant investment, although several projects are underway. Will they be implemented quickly enough?
The cruise industry is far ahead of the curve, at the forefront of maritime transport, and is already developing several hydrogen-powered ship projects. One of these projects, the Northern Xplorer, aims to build the world's first zero-emission cruise ship at the WestSea shipyards in Portugal. The company's CEO will present the project at the congress.
Senior executives, international cruise line representatives, port authorities, travel agents, and industry experts will be present at one of the world's most important cruise congresses. The event will feature presentations from top cruise line executives such as Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Crociere; Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises; Mehmet Kutman, President and CEO of Global Ports Holding; Michael Ungerer, CEO of Explora Journeys; Andrea Zito, CEO of Swan Hellenic; Moran Mano, Vice President and Executive Manager of Mano Maritime; and Eithne Williamson, Vice President of Princess Cruises UK & Europe, among others.
Over the two days, several roundtables and presentations will discuss the recovery of the cruise industry and tourist destinations, the challenges of re-recruiting all the workers the sector needs, and how to recover pre-pandemic sales and pricing levels. Topics such as marine insurance, digital innovation, and the booming river cruise industry will also be addressed.
