An international coalition of environmental groups joined together to force Carnival Corporation to stop using heavy fuel oil (HFO) on its cruise vessels operating in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters.
World's largest cruise company was urged to end the use of one of shipping industry's cheapest and dirtiest fuels as its first liners of the summer season arrived in the Arctic.
As cruise tourists in Earth's fragile ecosystems continue to grow, ships have to change fuel sources to prevent destroying the visited regions. When burned, HFO (heavy fuel oil) releases greenhouse gases as well as other dangerous pollutants including sulfur dioxide and soot (black carbon). In the sub-Arctic and Arctic, the soot settles on sea ice and rapidly accelerates its melting.
Image: Baffin Island (Nunavut, Arctic Canada)
The coalition is calling on the company to switch all cruise ships in Carnival fleets to low-sulfur diesel fuel, and stop the use and carriage as of heavy fuel oil and heavy fuel oil blends in Arctic routes, Alaska and Canada. In addition, Carnival has been asked to reduce black carbon pollution on all of its ships by installing diesel particulate filters and take the lead in implementing clean shipping technologies which help power cruise vessels without fossil fuels completely.