CLIA-Cruise Lines International Association released the Global Cruise Industry Environmental Technologies and Practices Report produced by Oxford Economics.
The new report highlights the progress that the Association's oceangoing cruise line members "continue to make towards the development and implementation of advanced technologies and practices to achieve lower emissions, greater efficiencies, and a cleaner environment onboard, at sea and in port."
Cruise ships comprise less than 1% of the global maritime community and the latest report substantiates how cruise companies have taken the lead in the adoption of maritime technologies that benefit the shipping industry. To date, the industry has invested more than US$23.5 billion in vessels with cleaner fuels and new technologies to achieve greater efficiency and reduce air emissions. This is a USD 1,5 billion increase over 2019's report findings.
CLIA cruise companies were the maritime industry's first to commit to reducing the carbon emissions' rate by 40% (by 2030) compared to 2008. CLIA member lines continue to work diligently to meet rising expectations and achieve goals like this. Substantial progress has been achieved in:
- LNG Fuel - 49% of newbuilds will rely on LNG for primary propulsion, which is a 51% increase in overall capacity in comparison with 2018.
- EGCS-Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems - over 69% of global capacity utilizes EGCS to meet/exceed air emissions requirements, representing a capacity increase of 25% compared to 2018. 96% of non-LNG newbuilds will have EGCS installed, which is an increase in capacity of 21% in comparison with 2019.
- Advanced Wastewater Treatment Systems - 99% of all new ships on order or currently under construction are specified to boast advanced wastewater treatment systems (bringing global capacity to 78.5%) and now 70% of the CLIA oceangoing capacity is served by advanced wastewater treatment systems (which is an increase of 5% over 2019).
- Shoreside Power Capability - in port, cruise liners are increasingly equipped with the technology in order to allow the delivery of shoreside electricity allowing engines to be switched off; there are many collaborations with governments and ports to increase the availability.
75% of the newbuilds are either committed to be fitted with shoreside power capabilities or will be configured to add them later.
32% of CLIA's global capacity (up 13% since 2019) is fitted to operate on shoreside electricity in the 14 ports worldwide where that capability is provided in at least one berth in the port.