Following the recent Annual Meeting of the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators, the association announced a number of decisions aimed at strengthening responsible industry practices, such as a ban on the use and carriage of HFO (heavy fuel oil) in the Arctic.
AECO is strengthening its position as one of the largest cruise organizations in the world. It is reaffirming the commitment of the expedition cruise industry to responsible tourism. The Annual Meeting of AECO demonstrated this via a number of decisions on new tools, strategies, and guidelines.
A notable decision was the self-imposed ban on the carriage and use of heavy fuel oil by AECO members that are operating in the Arctic. The current practice among the members of the association is to refrain from using HFO when operating in the Arctic. The practice has been formalized as a mandatory guideline. The Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators was an early signatory of the Arctic Commitment calling for a phase-out of polluting heavy fuel oil from Arctic shipping.
Another decision of the Annual Meeting is that AECO should concentrate its focus on its core segment, expedition cruising.