Post #30 More Sustainable Cruise Ship Fuels

I like the ocean & have been a passenger on about 35 ocean cruises. My reference to “bluer” ocean cruising in this post means better for the ocean & kinder to marine life. Going forward, let’s aim for more eco-friendly & sustainable ocean cruising. Let’s learn a bit about better fuel and/or power, including some examples of progress.

Legacy fuel cruise ships have been using / most still use? Simple answers found: a special type of diesel. Marine diesel oil (MDO) made specifically for marine vessels like cruise ships. Or: a blend of bunker fuel & diesel. Controversial for pollution it/they can create. Let’s look at some alternative fuel ideas, & bookmark a thought re fuel efficiency.

Greater fuel efficiency: burning less fuel overall is a great improvement goal. Very recent article states: cruise lines are investing in new technologies to improve fuel efficiency thus reducing environmental impact. There is enough information on this topic to warrant a separate post (later).

Alternative fuels: “set to increase in the cruise industry. LNG (liquefied natural gas) has gained significant attention” in recent years. “More cruise ships are expected to transition to LNG”. A Cruise Lines International Association member has opined that LNG is a cleaner [me: cleanish?] alternative fossil fuel to heavier fuel for a temporary improvement “until a more sustainable energy source becomes available”.

Other alternative fuels: even cleaner than LNG?: the development of biofuels (& other sustainable energy sources) for the future. A member of The Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union opined that a better, temporary alternative to LNG would be “marine gas oil, which is similar to car diesel, but does not carry the methane risks & is far cleaner than heavy fuel oil”. Other examples:

Royal Caribbean is efforting [new word?] “towards sustainability by using renewable fuel on select ships, including their Navigator of the Seas”. Their ‘renewable diesel’ is produced via “hydroprocessing of fats, vegetable oils, & waste cooking oils.” Result, apparently: significantly fewer emissions. Sounds like progress.

Virgin Voyages with their handful of newer ships, has partnered with companies working on “biofuel solutions — from cooking oil to animal or even human waste” to power their engines in future. Marker: a few months ago, V.V. announced completion of a “testing of sustainable fuels, using a mix of 80% heavy fuel oil & used cooking oil”. They conducted this trial on their ship Valiant Lady. Some say calling that sustainable fuel is somewhat misleading since “the main component of the sustainable fuel” tested by V.V. is still the legacy heavy fuel oil. Nevertheless, sounds like progress.

A few weeks ago, Carnival Corporation & plc (= several cruise line brands) announced it’s “on pace to achieve an overall 18% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity on a lower berth capacity basis in 2024 (compared to 2019) – just a few points shy of its 20% reduction goal originally targeted for 2030”. & Further, by end of 2024 it expects to reduce its “GHG emission intensity by an impressive 42% on a lower berth capacity basis since its first benchmark [in 2008]”. Thanks to many factors/endeavours, company says. Sounds like progress.

And in future, cruise line experts claim that electricity might rise to the forefront for cruise ship fuel/powering needs. Hoping that will be the relatively near future.