As enjoyable as cruising is, one downside to this method of vacationing has remained the amount of fuel those massive ships consume. Fortunately, the cruise industry has long recognized this problem, and has spent much of the last decade trying to decrease fuel use and minimize its ships’ impact on the marine environment and on the port-of-call communities its ships visit.
Carnival Corporation recently announced the results of its Fleet Fuel Conservation Program, which the cruise line launched in 2007. According to the company, its fleet of more than 100 ships will have saved more than 1 billion gallons of fuel—a 24 percent increase in fuel efficiency—by the end of this year. That’s about $2.5 billion in fuel costs and represents a reduction in fleet-wide carbon emissions by 12 billion kilograms.
Carnival Corporation is the parent company of several high-profile cruise lines, including Carnival Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Holland America Line. Over the last seven years, each of these lines has built and refurbished several ships, and added a number of technological innovations to each one in order to boost fuel efficiency. Carnival Corporation’s efforts have addressed many areas, including the following key issues:
* Propulsion, which includes more fuel-efficient itineraries and improved sailing techniques.
* Hull coatings, which discourage marine organisms from attaching to the hull and causing fuel-wasting drag.
* Air conditioning, lighting, and water-production systems that utilize more energy-efficient technology.
* Education and training programs to make crew and guests aware of shipboard energy efforts and encourage conservation.
Other initiatives include installing more energy-efficient audiovisual and entertainment equipment, and laundry and cooking appliances. Additionally, there is an ongoing project to investigate the use of alternative energy sources on board Carnival ships.
Carnival is not alone in its pursuit of greener cruise ships. With every new build and refurbishment that is announced by the other big industry players like MSC, Disney, and Royal Caribbean, an array of new features are added to boost every ship’s fuel and energy efficiency. This makes sense in terms of financial savings for the cruise lines. However, it is also good for the environment, for the communities in cruisers’ favorite ports, and for the cruisers themselves who can enjoy their vacations that much more knowing that their host cruise line is making strides toward a cleaner world.
