Cruise Lines emphasise environmental efforts
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The cruise industry has come out and outlined its current and ongoing environmental initiatives today (23 April), in recognition of Earth Day.
The procedures, which include groundbreaking technologies like wastewater treatment and emission reduction have all been passed by the cruise line’s governing body, the International Maritime Organisation, a UN agency.
Robert Ashdown, secretary general of CLIA Europe said: “We are extremely proud of the extensive investments and ongoing commitment of our member lines to safeguard the environment for future generations through responsible practices and continuous innovation.
“The cruise industry continues to devote considerable resources and has invested extensively to working with our ship designers and equipment manufacturers to develop and implement a wide range of new technologies that protect air and water quality and increase energy efficiency.”
Other praised schemes include switching to low energy LED lights, using recycled water to heat cabins and tinting windows to use less air conditioning. These measures have all required heavy investment from the cruise lines themselves.
Below deck there have also been initiatives to ensure engines run more efficiently, increasing the use of shore side power while ships are in port and utilising exhaust gas scrubbers.
Some key developments being ran or proposed are:
- One line has a suggested climate protection levy of two Euros per cabin per day, which supports UN-certified projects in developing countries. The funds have been used to finance CO2-reducing climate protection projects in India and Nicaragua and also environmental education projects in German schools.
- A member line has developed an extensive system of recycling used cooking oil, which it utilises as bio-carburant. The line recycled 67 tons last year alone.
- One CLIA member line has launched a ‘Clean up Svalbard’ initiative. The line offers passengers the chance to collect rubbish in refuse sacks provided by the ship, in order to maintain the untouched wilderness of Svalbard.
- A cruise line has installed solar panels on five ships — and on one ship over 200 solar panels have been installed, which generate enough power to operate approximately 7,000 LED lights.
- Condensation from shipboard air conditioning units is reclaimed and then reused to wash the decks on a CLIA member line’s ships, saving up to 22.3 million gallons of fresh water in 2012 alone.