The cruise industry has called on governments to take action to increase global production of sustainable marine fuels at a conference organized by CLIA, the Cruise Lines International Association.
CLIA estimates that 44,000 tons of sustainable marine fuels will be needed by 2025, thus aligning with the decarbonization targets set by the European Union for 2030.
In addition, CLIA has announced that its current construction pipeline consists of 55 ships, which will represent an investment of 33.9 billion euros over the next five years.
Today's cruise ships, and those soon to debut, are among the most advanced and energy-efficient in history, as cruise lines continue to innovate to achieve zero emissions by 2050.
Availability of sustainable marine fuels
While investment in marine technologies continues, the availability of sustainable marine fuels at scale is the missing piece of the puzzle. Therefore, CLIA urges governments to accelerate the transition by setting more ambitious production targets, especially for synthetic fuels and biofuels.
CLIA President Jason Liberty says , “ The cruise industry is making significant investments to lay the groundwork for a zero/low-emission future. Collaboration between our global leaders and change agents is essential to ensuring that sustainable marine fuels are available at scale and are affordable .”
“We want to strengthen our collaboration with ports, governments and communities to make the green transition of maritime transport a true reality,” Liberty concludes.
CLIA also calls on governments to dedicate the funds raised through the inclusion of shipping in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme to finance the necessary infrastructure and the deployment of affordable renewable energy solutions.
On the other hand, CLIA is developing a study that will combine variables such as fuels, technologies and routes to identify where local investments will need to be focused in order to achieve the decarbonization of the industry by 2050.
In collaboration with fuel producers and engine manufacturers, the industry is exploring different energy sources. These include internationally certified sustainable biofuels and synthetic fuels such as e-methane and emethanol.
Other energy sources being explored as part of hybrid solutions include electric batteries, bio LNG (liquefied natural gas), methanol, or hydrogen fuel cells.
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