Clia member cruise lines have committed to a 40% reduction in their rate of carbon emissions across their fleets by 2030, compared with 2008 levels, as a key target on the road to achieving net carbon neutral 20 years later.

As well as the move towards building more ships powered by LNG, the majority of current ships (representing 75% of global passenger capacity) are now capable of using other alternative fuels, such as methanol, biodiesel, hydrogen and electric batteries, alongside traditional fossil fuels.

Several cruise companies are also actively looking to use fuel cells and similar technologies to power their new ships or install these systems through retrofitting projects.

But the report notes that using alternative fuels to power ships still face “engineering, supply and regulatory hurdles” before they can be adopted on a large scale by the cruise sector.

Clia president Kelly Craighead added: “While cruise has been one of the sectors most acutely impacted by the global pandemic, cruise lines remain at the forefront of the challenge to develop new environmental technologies which benefit the entire shipping industry.

“Our industry is committed to pursuing net carbon neutral cruising by 2050, and Clia and our ocean-going members are investing in new technologies and cleaner fuels now to realise this ambition.”

Clia has also joined other shipping groups in proposing a $5 billion International Maritime Organisation (IMO)research and development fund to accelerate the development of zero greenhouse gas fuels and propulsion technologies.

Industry progress

Progress is being made in key areas, such as building more ships powered by LNG – while currently only four cruise ships use LNG as their primary fuel for propulsion, there are 22 new ships on order or under construction that have committed to using LNG as their main fuel for sailing.

These LNG-powered ships currently represent 52% of total planned new capacity across the cruise industry – up by 3 percentage points compared with 2020’s figure.

The number of ships able to use shoreside electricity – and thus reduce emissions while in port - has also risen to 35% of global capacity, with another 22% set to be retrofitted with this technology. But currently only 14 ports around the world have the capability to provide electricity to ships.

More ships are also using exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) to reduce sulphur oxide emissions, with 76% of global capacity now meeting or exceeding air emissions requirements – up from 69% of capacity in 2020.

While 94% of new capacity, excluding ships powered by LNG, will use EGCS instead to reduce emissions.

Another area of improvement is in the use of advanced wastewater systems with 74% of cruise capacity now onboard ships featuring this technology, an increase of 4 percentage points from last year. All new ships will also feature these wastewater systems.