MSC Cruises signed a new ‘Single-Use Plastic Charter’ which was established by the UK Chamber of Shipping.
The charter aims to scrap the use of single-use plastic items by the end of next year.
In 2019, MSC Cruises eliminated 97M items of plastic after identifying about 40,000 single-use plastic items in its shops, restaurants, kitchens, and hotel operations. Nearly 20M plastic straws were replaced with 9M compostable straws, plastic coverings for 10,000+ sunbeds were removed, 12 tons of plastic packages for dishwater detergents were replaced with eco-friendly alternatives.
According to Linden Coppell, Director of Sustainability, MSC Cruises, research by the British government showed that 80% of plastic entered the marine environment from "land-based sources, especially via rivers, but clearly all of us in the shipping community must play our part.”
During a ‘Single-Use Plastic in the Marine Environment’ webinar organized by the UK Chamber of Shipping on December 15, Linden discussed her work at MSC Cruises.
The cruise line recently published its 2019 Sustainability Report highlighting its vision to become "an environmental leader in the global maritime sector."
MSC Cruises' sustainability programme is organized around 4 key pillars: Planet, People, Place, Procurement.
That translates into a drive to continuously improve the environmental performance of the fleet; caring for employees and promoting inclusion and diversity; working to ensure the impact on the coastal communities that MSC reaches remains positive; responsibly sourcing the services and products the company purchases.