BUSINESS NEWS the sector can decarbonise but says ‘we need new technologies’. Ian Taylor reports
Cruising blamed for high levels of sulphur pollution
Cruise ships are a major source of toxic sulphur oxide (SOx) pollution in ports, according to a study by Brussels-based environmental group Transport & Environment (T&E). Europe’s cruise ships emitted
as much SOx as one billion cars in 2022, T&E reported in June, with Southampton ranked Europe’s seventh most-polluted cruise port.
Harmony of the Seas Barcelona was the most
polluted, with cruise ships emitting “almost three times more SOx than all cars in the city”, followed by Civitavecchia north of Rome and Athens’ port of Piraeus.
However, T&E reported Venice,
Europe’s most-polluted port city in 2019, fell to 41st after a ban on large ships entering the Venice lagoon in 2021 cut SOx pollution by 80%. The group called for increased
port electrification. Royal Caribbean Group vice-
president Nick Rose said: “We can’t speak to the source of T&E’s data, but we can confirm that all our equipment meets or exceeds our industry’s sulphur regulations. “Over the past decade, we have
heavily invested in equipping our fleet with systems that remove 98% of sulphur from our exhaust.”
IMO’s ‘slow progress delays fuel investment’
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has been slow to set emissions-reduction targets for global shipping, delaying investment in the infrastructure needed to decarbonise. Cruise forms just a small part of
global shipping, which is governed by IMO rules and, like aviation, was left out of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change – leaving shipping relying on the world’s most carbon-heavy fuels. An IMO agreement in July did set
new goals – calling them “indicative checkpoints” rather than targets – with at least a 20% cut in emissions sought by 2030 and 70% by 2040. That is an improvement on
a 2018 IMO agreement to halve emissions by 2050. But the latest deal does not come into force until 2027 and allows for compliance only when “national circumstances allow”. Critics point out, had the industry been part of the Paris Agreement, the latest IMO agreement would leave
travelweekly.co.uk
shipping on course to break its 2050 ‘carbon budget’ by 2032. Royal Caribbean Group vice-
president Nick Rose acknowledges the slow progress at the IMO. He explained: “There are
geopolitical issues at play. The way the IMO is set up, the way any UN organisation is set up, every member has a vote. If the IMO put a price on carbon – say $50 a tonne – shipping a commodity between the UK and France might cost one or two tonnes of carbon so $100. But if a commodity is shipped between the UK and Chile, travelling 2,700 miles, costing 2,500 tonnes of carbon, the bill adds up. That is the challenge the IMO has to deal with.” Rose argued: “The way Europe
has gone about this is the right approach. They’ve put a price on carbon, but they’ve also incentivised fuel development.” He described the EU’s targets
as “a little ambitious”, arguing: “If regulation outpaces technology, it
Wonder of the Seas
becomes a hindrance. If the timing goes along with the technology, it’s a benefit.” But he insisted: “The way the EU has approached this will push the IMO. Europe is driving the regulatory world.” Rose added: “The industry is
starting to work together. “The more the shipping industry,
not just the cruise industry, plays a role in this, the more it will benefit all of us because then we can have investment at a global scale.”
Odyssey of the Seas
7 SEPTEMBER 2023 63
Shift to shore power raises fears over sustainability
The benefits of cruise ships using shore power in reducing emissions have been clear for some time, but there are significant challenges in moving wholesale to shore power. Nick Rose explained: “There
are only 25-30 ports where a cruise ship can plug into shore power. “We have 20 ships fully capable
of using shore power. Our new- builds are able to use shore power and we retrofit ships as they go where they can use shore power.” He added: “A lot of ports are
starting to realise this can reduce emissions in port, mainly in Europe. But there are ports in the US thinking about shore power now. The Port of Miami made a commitment to shore power two years ago. Port Everglades is looking at shore power by 2025. Tampa is looking at it. “The concern is, can they do
it sustainably through renewable sources and not start up other types of power plants? The Port of Miami is going to have a mixed grid with some gas.” Even where shore power is
available, there often isn’t enough power. Rose noted: “A lot of ports are saying, ‘We need more power. Should we set up a micro-power station to produce at certain times for ships?’”
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