MSC Cruises has become the first major shipping company to obtain Green Marine Europe, a voluntary environmental certification program for the maritime industry.
Green Marine Europe is a partnership between the North American environmental certification program Green Marine and the Surfrider Foundation, a leading NGO in ocean and marine protection in the European Union.
MSC Cruises achieved the highest possible score in eight performance indicators that, according to the organizers, represented “environmental excellence and leadership”.
The indicators measured were invasive aquatic species, polluting atmospheric emissions - both sulfur dioxide and particulate matter - polluting atmospheric emissions of nitrogen dioxide, greenhouse gas emissions, oil spills, waste management, underwater radiated noise, and responsible ship recycling.
Captain Minas Myrtidis, Vice President of Environmental Operations and Regulatory Compliance at MSC Cruises, accepted the award on behalf of the shipping company today at a ceremony held in Bilbao, Spain.
Captain Myrtidis stated: “We are very proud to have received the highest possible rating across all criteria. The Green Marine Europe certificate is a testament to the hard work and commitment of everyone in our company, both onboard and ashore, who have collectively dedicated their efforts to helping MSC Cruises achieve its sustainability goals. Our certification highlights our strong performance credentials, as well as our commitment to continuous improvement, transparency, and accountability.”
The group's two cruise brands, MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys, have committed to measuring their environmental performance annually and submitting their results to Green Marine Europe for accredited external verification. Both cruise lines have set a target of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The emissions intensity of MSC Cruises' ship operations has decreased by 33.5% since 2008 and the company is confident of achieving a 40% reduction by 2030.
The cruise line's flagship, MSC Euribia, completed the world's first net-zero greenhouse gas emissions cruise voyage in June 2023, based on mass balance. This voyage was from France to Denmark.
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