We need to talk about cruising.

Did you know that a passenger on a one-week Antarctic cruise, causes as much CO2 to be released as the average European over the course of a year? Or, that the total amount of rubbish produced by a ship carrying 2,700 passengers can exceed a ton a day? And, an overnight stay on the average cruise ship requires 12 times more energy than a night in a hotel?

The findings above were published last year in a review of over 200 scientific papers, assessing the environmental and human impacts of the cruise industry.

Consider also, the damage caused to marine life by large vessels and the eye-watering volumes of waste generated by up to 29.7 million passengers a year (2019) and it’s clear that much could be improved. 

Many in the industry are now talking steps to address the environmental impacts of their operations. Leading the way is the Hurtigruten Group, who have a comprehensive strategy in place, which integrates sustainability across all of their operations:

Introducing hybrid & electric cruise ships:

The recent announcement that The Port of Southampton has introduced a new shore power facility for cruise ships, demonstrated the commitment of many to switch to electric vessels. The £9 million project will provide the vital infrastructure to support the transition. Associated British Ports’ head of cruise, Rebekah Keeler, said: 

“We are delighted to have reached this exciting milestone and we are looking forward to working with multiple cruise lines this year as they plug in for zero emissions at berth and make tangible progress towards their own decarbonisation goals.”

Sources:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210928193815.htm

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X21010134

https://www.ttgmedia.com/news/news/shore-power-goes-live-at-port-of-southampton-33756