Interview with Royal Caribbean’s Nick Rose: The group’s vice-president and head of ESG is optimistic Continued from page 64
doing. We’ve been good at retrofitting ships. We’re heavily involved in biofuel trials because biofuel would allow us to meet some of our carbon goals with a drop-in fuel. “Some older ships will leave
our fleet. Middle-aged ships will be retrofitted to use biofuels and new-builds will use a mix of new fuels and new technologies.” The progress Rose has seen
since joining Royal Caribbean in 2005 has left him confident of reaching ‘net zero’ by 2050 without undue reliance on offsetting. He said: “In less than
15 years we went from only burning heavy fuel oil to using abatement technologies that allowed us to meet the standards a cleaner fuel would meet and transitioning to LNG. The next 15 years can be more transformative. We don’t think carbon offsetting is going to be a significant part of this.” But he suggested “part of the
challenge” will be sticking to 2050 as the target date, arguing: “The more you compress the timeline, the more it can become a hindrance because people feel, ‘We have to make a decision tomorrow’. The only way to get to net zero by 2030 would be to use biofuels, and there are not enough sustainable biofuels to support that.” Rose said: “I’m confident
we’ll get there by 2050 even though the last 10 years of the path to 2050 isn’t clear.” But he added: “We need new
technologies. We can probably get 50% to where we need to be with existing technologies. But to get the world to net zero, we need new technology.”
Fuel flexibility is key in Royal’s drive for net zero
Flexibility in the fuels used to power cruise ships will be key to reducing the sector’s emissions, according to Royal Caribbean Group’s Nick Rose. Different fuels pose different
challenges. Rose explained: “From a local emissions standpoint, liquefied natural gas (LNG) checks every box. It offers a 98% reduction in sulphur, a 95% reduction in NOx (nitrogen oxides), and PM2.5 [inhalable fine particles] don’t exist. It’s also a step on the way in reducing carbon.” But he said: “It’s not the only fuel
we’re looking at. LNG ships aren’t flexible – they burn diesel or LNG. Biofuels have the shortest ‘runway’ [to wide use].” The issue with biofuels is
sourcing sustainable feedstocks. Rose noted: “The global supply chain of biofuel sources continues to grow, but the number of people looking at these continues to grow. A trial we ran this summer will give insight into how much biofuel needs to be
Two vessels trial biofuels but supply remains big issue
Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Apex and Royal Caribbean International’s Symphony of the Seas took part in biofuel trials in Europe this summer, one in the Baltic and one in southern Europe. Rose explained: “We began
[trials] last summer using a 100% renewable biodiesel, a hydrogenated vegetable oil, on
62 7 SEPTEMBER 2023
Icon of the Seas
secured because one of the concerns is the supply chain.” He argued: “The next step
will be a ‘net zero’ ship that will likely use methanol or some other alcohol-based fuel, possibly with a form of battery and maybe also hydrogen in a fuel-cell application.” Royal Caribbean’s goal is to have
a zero-carbon ship in operation by 2035. Rose said: “You might think ‘That is 12 years from now’, but it’s not far out when designing a ship. We’re working now to make a
Navigator of the Seas. This summer’s trials used a different fuel source and were also longer, over multiple months, so we have more of a view of the supply chain. “The supply capability is one of
the biggest factors to understand, not only producing a fuel but bunkering it. These trials won’t be the last. Hopefully, the information we gather will enable us to evolve the fuel to where it becomes a staple. “This summer we started with a 30% biodiesel blend. From there, we’ll see how far we can push it. We’re hoping to figure out whether we can use 100% or if there are
Celebrity Apex
issues with the fuel-delivery system. “Other than how you burn the
fuel, the number-one concern is, ‘Can we get a sustainable supply?’ Hopefully, we’ll get some clarity on that soon.”
travelweekly.co.uk
decision come 2029 so we have the ship by 2035.” He explained: “There won’t be
one solution. The first net-zero ships will be hybrid with multiple ways of producing, storing and using power. Whatever the energy source, the ship will probably have batteries and shore power and might have fuel cells which burn hydrogen.” Rose pointed out: “Hybrid ships
with some form of battery exist today, and fuel cells are at the forefront of what we’re doing. Methanol engines are coming on but aren’t there yet. The issue is getting this at the right scale. Whatever we build, we need to ensure we can fuel it.” He argued: “We have a similar
kind of path to aviation. Drop-in fuels can help today. Methanol can probably help in the next two to three years. Fuel cells come further down the line. Battery systems could help at peak times. Hopefully, by 2050 there will be other technologies we’re not considering today.”
PICTURES: Michel Verdure; Simon Brooke-Webb; Steve Dunlop
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