Solutions to Cruise Ship Pollution Friends of the Earth

Table Of Content

• Cruise Ship Pollution Is Causing Serious Health And Environmental Problems
• cruise ships owned by Carnival Corporation released more toxic sulfur gasses than all the cars in Europe, study says
• Scientists Find the Best Strategy for Tackling the Plastic Pollution in the Ocean
• ‘A good cruise is one that doesn’t come’: Europe’s ports bear brunt of ship pollution

This resulted in an increase of 9% in SOx emissions, 18% in NOx emissions and 25% in PM2.5 emissions – three toxic air pollutants. A report released earlier this year by the Brussels-based NGO Transport & Environment detailed that Europe’s fleet of 218 cruise ships emitted as much sulfur oxide in 2022 as a billion cars. As it stands, BC emissions are not currently directly regulated at an international level. The Arctic Council and the International Maritime Organization are, however, looking further into the impacts of black carbon in the Arctic.

These Activists Have One Simple Goal: Abolish the Cruise Industry - The Nation

These Activists Have One Simple Goal: Abolish the Cruise Industry.

Posted: Thu, 14 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Cruise Ship Pollution Is Causing Serious Health And Environmental Problems

Thus, even the most regular activity onboard the cruise ship, such as cleaning utensils and doing the laundry, causes cruise ship pollution. Today, Oceana launches a week-long media tour in three cities – Washington, New York and Boston – to continue raising awareness about cruise ship pollution. The campaign to protect our oceans and stop cruise ship pollution exposes how cruise ships threaten the health of the world’s oceans, including some of the most pristine and delicate parts of our ocean where cruise ships travel. About 10% of scrubber washwater discharged from ships off British Columbia occurred within critical habitats of orcas, according to an analysis by the International Council on Clean Transportation. Of particular alarm, says Kuehnemund, is the threat to wildlife in Scott Islands marine national park, a cluster of five islands off the north-western tip of Vancouver Island.

cruise ships owned by Carnival Corporation released more toxic sulfur gasses than all the cars in Europe, study says

Flying the national flag of Malta, the 331-metre-long, 43-metre-wide vessel has 19 decks and 2,421 cabins capable of housing up to 6,334 passengers and 1,704 crew members. Below the MSC logo that adorns the ship’s smokestacks, a group of children go down water slides while several French women combine their breakfast buffet with an early morning tanning session. After the Caribbean, the Mediterranean is ​​the second largest market for the cruise industry. As a result, the cruise industry is having to adapt, with Disney Cruises now requiring all passengers - even the under-fives - to be fully vaccinated in order to join their cruises from mid-January 2022. A COVID-19 outbreak was first reported on the vessel in early February 2020 and ended up infecting more than 700 people in total, leading to 14 deaths. The only other cruise line to get above a D grade was Silversea Cruises, which was awarded a C, scoring highly in water quality compliance and transparency.

Scientists Find the Best Strategy for Tackling the Plastic Pollution in the Ocean

Some ships have not been adapted to use cleaner onshore power, but the UK Chamber of Shipping says one factor is cost, because onshore power is more expensive than marine fuel. Cruise firms can also pay for their ships to be retrofitted with new technology so they can use cleaner onshore power. Methane is significantly more damaging to the climate than carbon dioxide. The company added that liquefied natural gas (LNG) “virtually eliminates sulphur oxides by 99%, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 20% when compared to traditional marine fossil fuels, even with methane leakage taken into account”.

‘A good cruise is one that doesn’t come’: Europe’s ports bear brunt of ship pollution

The study also found that a large cruiseliner can have a bigger carbon footprint than 12,000 cars, while an overnight stay onboard uses 12 times more energy than a stay in a hotel. “The passengers that love the Alaska cruise do not even realise that the ships are polluting our pristine parts of the world,” he says. The fishing communities of south-east Alaska also complain of dumped waste in their waters bordering Canada, fearing that critical fish species are being exposed to harmful substances. Additionally, pollution can contribute to the spread of invasive species, which can have long-term impacts on local ecosystems. Cruise ships generate a significant amount of sewage waste, which is often disposed of in the ocean.

Many cruise operators like MSC are investing in fossil gas (LNG) as a cleaner alternative. So far this year, more than 40% of cruise ships ordered were LNG-powered. These ships are better in terms of air pollution, but they are extremely damaging from a climate perspective due to methane leaks from their engines – a potent gas over 80 times more warming than CO2[2]. P&O’s MS Iona, for example, emitted as much methane as 10,500 cows over a year. To comply with regulations put in place in 2020 under MARPOL that mandate emissions reductions, the industry is building new cruise ships that use alternative fuels, mainly liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Scientists Say Sea Turtles Will Be Plagued By Plastic Forever

We’re less than a decade away from climate catastrophe if something isn’t done soon. And mega corporations like these cruise industry giants could play a role in cutting down pollution. The American Oceans Campaign is dedicated primarily to the restoration, protection, and preservation of the health and vitality of coastal waters, estuaries, bays, wetlands, and oceans. In 2018, the cruise industry offered service to more than 26 million customers. Environmental groups state that the passenger’s carbon footprint triples when one opts for a cruise journey as these ‘floating cities’ produce around 15 gallons of hazardous chemical waste every single day.

A ship’s back house also often includes a small hospital, prison and morgue. Outside, the summer sun is scorching but inside, corridors are pumped with air cooled to 20C. Brimming with luxury and colour, the cruise ship is like an overcrowded five-star hotel.

‘A good cruise is one that doesn’t come’: Europe’s ports bear brunt of ship pollution - The Guardian

‘A good cruise is one that doesn’t come’: Europe’s ports bear brunt of ship pollution.

Posted: Thu, 19 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Ships are still refusing to fully convert to truly green initiatives like shorepower. Until the cruise industry cleans up its act, you can unfortunately count on them to continue having a negative impact on the environment. Some large cruise shipping lines have violated regulations by illegally bypassing the onboard oily water separator and discharging untreated oily wastewater. These violations by means of a so-called "magic pipe" have been prosecuted and resulted in large fines.

Cruise ship companies should take responsibility and stop dumping raw sewage in the ocean. Sulfur oxides released into the atmosphere can have adverse effects on human health and air quality, from exacerbating respiratory illnesses such as asthma to contributing to the formation of acid rain. A 2016 study estimated that the IMO's sulfur regulations would prevent 570,000 premature deaths worldwide from 2020 to 2025.

Boat and shipyard staff also have to live with difficult working environments and the risk of injury. However, while welcome, the move is not enough, Bissonnette says, noting that the measures are voluntary and do not apply to scrubbers. [2] Methane’s (CH4) global warming potential (GWP) is 82.5 times higher than CO2 over a period of 20 years and 29.8 times higher over a 100-year period. Cruise ship 'Independence of the Seas' at the cruise terminal on Wilhelmina Pier, Netherlands,... Noise pollution can cause hearing loss, stress, and behavioral changes in marine animals, which can ultimately lead to decreased reproduction rates and population decline.

All market projections show that the industry will continue to grow as operators continue to build new state-of-the-art ships with the latest in leisure opportunities. However, as nations strive to reduce their CO2 emissions and companies come under pressure to decrease their carbon footprint, the maritime industry is finding itself under growing scrutiny . Whilst commercial shipping has always been at the center of environmental concerns, the issues surrounding cruise ships are being increasingly called out in the port cities in which they dock.

Pollution can harm marine mammals, disrupt food chains, and damage coral reefs and other sensitive habitats. Additionally, regulations and policies can be put in place to limit the environmental impacts of cruise ships. Additionally, cruise ships can damage marine ecosystems through activities such as anchoring, dredging, and discharging ballast water. Noise pollution from cruise ships can have a significant impact on marine life, particularly on species that rely on sound for communication, navigation, and hunting.

The report states that next steps may be to introduce a potential ban on the carriage and use of heavy fuel oil by ships in the Arctic, as of 2024. Unfortunately, everything that cruise ships come in contact with are likely to be harmed along their journey. The air, water, fragile habitats, coastal communities, and wildlife are all affected.