New analysis has revealed that cruise ships have undergone a significant increase in size over the past two decades, with up to 40 restaurants and seven swimming pools now being included on board. This growth in the cruise industry has made it the fastest-growing tourism sector, with the number of ships increasing from 21 in 1970 to 515 today.
According to a campaign group called Transport and Environment (T&E), if the current growth rate continues, the largest cruise ships in 2050 would be nearly eight times bigger than the Titanic and able to accommodate almost 11,000 passengers. Inesa Ulichina, sustainable shipping officer at T&E, expressed concern over the size of these “cruisezillas” and questioned how much bigger they can get.
While it is uncertain if ships will continue to grow to such massive sizes, there are few technical limitations preventing them from doing so, other than potential issues with port sizes. In January of this year, the world’s largest cruise ship, the Icon Of The Seas, set sail, measuring five times larger than the Titanic and featuring 40 restaurants, seven swimming pools, and a capacity of 7,600 passengers.
The UK and Ireland have seen a significant increase in luxury cruise holidays, with 2.3 million people taking part in 2020 compared to 1.7 million in 2019. The most popular destination for these cruises is the Mediterranean. However, this boom in the industry comes with a significant environmental cost in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and air and water pollution, according to T&E.
Despite concerns over their environmental impact, T&E is not advocating for a ban on cruises. Instead, the campaign group is urging cruise liners to lead the way in adopting green shipping fuels to reduce their emissions and bring down costs. Inesa Ulichina told Sky News that people should be conscious of the environmental impact of their holidays, but that the industry should focus on transitioning to cleaner fuel sources.
Currently, around 38% of ships have switched from using heavy fuel oil to liquified natural gas, which is cleaner but still a fossil fuel that contributes to climate change. While emissions per ship have decreased by 16% in the last five years, the overall emissions of the industry have risen by at least 20%, due to its rapid growth.
T&E is calling for the industry to transition to cleaner fuels, such as “e-fuels” like green hydrogen, which can be produced using renewable energy and have no emissions. This solution is also being explored for airplanes, which currently cannot accommodate heavy battery power.
In addition to shifting to cleaner fuels, campaigners are also calling for an end to exemptions for the luxury cruise industry from fuel duties, corporate taxes, and consumer taxes that other modes of transport must pay. They estimate that a tax of €50 on a typical ticket could raise €1.6 billion globally to fund climate action.
In response to criticism of their environmental impact, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world’s largest cruise ship trade body, stated that the industry is a major contributor to the global economy and supports thousands of jobs and businesses. They also mentioned that the industry pays various taxes and duties and is subject to rigorous carbon pricing regimes to improve its environmental performance.
CLIA also noted that the industry is investing significant amounts in developing green fuels and called on governments to support this transition.
