The world’s fourth-largest cruiseship line, MSC announced it will be carbon neutral by January 2020. It will achieve much of this by purchasing carbon off-sets, which is not a long-term solution. Nonetheless, a cruise line going carbon neutral in any way is proof social pressure works.
Cruise Line Going Carbon Neutral for Environmental Reasons
The company says it has a duty to care for the oceans across which its ships sail. Indeed, it is impossible not to sense the wonder when cruising across the dark blue oceans. While it is impractical to turn off diesel emissions overnight on every ship, their latest ones are showing improvements.
Their latest ship, the Grandiosa (image at top of page) is further evidence of a cruise line going carbon neutral. She commissioned on October 31, 2019 with a selective catalytic reduction system. This works in tandem with a closed-loop exhaust gas cleaning system. The two combine to reduce ship sulfur emissions by 97% according to Wikipedia.
More Initiatives to Reduce Emissions from Ocean Cruising
Modern cruise ships have sleek hulls and anti-fouling paint to ensure they slip through water. They use voyage planning software to reduce fuel costs, and therefore emissions too. Each appliance is as energy-efficient as possible, as are the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
Of course, we recognize this efficiency improves profitability, while keeping services more affordable. None the less, it also reduces emissions, which is a key factor in the cruise line going carbon neutral by January 2020. We believe it is more important to be going in the right direction than getting everything perfect right away.
However, the cruise ship industry can only claim to be truly green when it replaces its thundering diesels. It should capture the quieter power of the wind, the sun, and the ocean currents as soon as it can.
Related
New Cruise Ship Operates On Batteries
The Cruise Ship Pollution that Travel Agents Ignore
Preview Image: MSC Grandiosa Approaching Hamburg
