Environment
holidaymakers and cruise lines alike, the environmental impacts of their decisions are becoming harder to ignore. It’s also partly down to tightening regulations. In July 2023, the International Maritime Organisation set out a new strategy around greenhouse gases, which commits cruise lines to reaching net zero by 2050. They must also slash their emissions by at least 40% by 2030, compared with 2008 levels. Meanwhile, the sulphur content of fuel oil has been capped at 0.5%, and ever more ports are mandating shore power, with a view to reducing reliance on ship engines. By 2030, shore power will be compulsory for cruise ships at all major European ports.
Under pressure
As the pressure mounts, the industry has turned its focus to new technological solutions that might help redress the situation. For instance, it has invested billions in new hybrid ships and engines that will enable fuel flexibility. That means they can use cleaner fuels, once available at scale, with little to no engine modification. According to CLIA’s 2023 Environmental Technologies & Practices Report, there are 32 pilot projects under way testing sustainable fuels and technologies, with 24 ships trialling biofuels and ten new builds incorporating fuel cells. Among the ships set to launch by 2028, 15% are being built with battery storage or fuel cells to allow for hybrid power generation. “CLIA member cruise lines are exploring the integration of battery technology into cruise ship operations, which is a crucial step towards a more sustainable maritime future,” explains a CLIA spokesperson. “Battery integration enables peak shaving to optimise energy efficiency and supports periods of zero-emission operations in sensitive coastal and port areas.” However, not all cruise ships are made alike. Some are performing far better than others when it comes to their environmental credentials, with a handful of vessels raising the bar for what is possible. One of these is Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot, a polar expedition vessel that first set sail in 2021. Billed as one of the most sustainable expedition ships on the seas, it is powered by LNG and battery power. As Mathieu Petiteau, new-building and R&D director at Ponant, explains, LNG was selected as the best available energy source to reduce global emissions. “These include greenhouse gases, SOx, NOx and particulate matter, while also providing access to decarbonised fuels such as bio-methane and e-methane. This ensures fuel flexibility and enhances our decarbonisation strategy,” he says.
LNG is not universally seen as the way forward for clean cruising – it emits methane, which is a powerful greenhouse gas. Over a 20-year time span, methane is a shocking 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide. “We’re taking a problem and replacing it with another in my view,” says Côté-Leduc. However, many cruise lines believe this secondary problem can be solved.
World Cruise Industry Review /
www.worldcruiseindustryreview.com
Left: Mathieu Petiteau, new-building and R&D director at Ponant.
Opposite: Ponant’s net-zero sailing ship, SWAP2ZERO, which is slated for completion by 2030.
According to CLIA, LNG has almost zero sulphur and particulate emissions, while cutting NOx by 85%. It also offers immediate greenhouse gas reductions of up to 20% compared with traditional marine fuels. “Advances in engine technology are rapidly minimising methane slip, the small amount of methane that escapes – an acknowledged issue with LNG engines – with achieved levels expected to soon fall below 1%,” remarks the CLIA spokesperson. Ponant also included a battery energy storage system (BESS), which improves the overall efficiency and reliability of power production, and a unique hull design geared towards reducing fuel consumption.
“These technologies require higher initial investments, but thanks to improved efficiency, GHG and carbon tax reductions, they offer long-term financial benefits,” notes Petiteau.
“These technologies require higher initial investments, but thanks to improved efficiency, GHG and carbon tax reductions, they offer long-term financial benefits.”
Mathieu Petiteau
On the horizon Ponant’s next big step will be to develop a net-zero sailing ship, which is slated for completion by 2030. Called SWAP2ZERO, this ambitious vessel is supported by France 2030 and the EU Innovation Fund. Although exact details are forthcoming, Ponant has conducted technical and economic analyses and studies, and is in discussion with several European shipyards. The company is also trying to find the answers to several tricky questions. For instance, what’s the optimal vessel size? What technologies should be integrated? What are the best energy sources, and what are the cost implications? Is there a viable market for zero-emission vessels and are travellers willing to pay more for this experience? As Petiteau notes, they cannot find the solutions in isolation.
300,000 The average
amount of litres of marine fuel a large cruise ship uses every day.
BBC 15
StudioPONANT-Olivier Blaud
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