The “service power packages” upgrades will include ongoing installations throughout 2023 on ships belonging to the company’s nine brands – Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O Australia, Costa Cruises, Aida Cruises, P&O Cruises and Cunard.
Developed over the last six years and tailored to each vessel, upgrades to save energy include investments in variable speed drives and on-demand automation and controls, cooling enhancements, energy-saving LED lighting and more efficient heating and ventilation systems.
Carnival estimates the programme will deliver an average of 5-10% fuel savings per ship and is expected to reduce fleet-wide greenhouse gas emissions by more than 500,000 metric tons each year.
The upgrades will also result in around $150 million in fuel cost savings per year.
Carnival’s chief maritime officer Bill Burke said: “Based on our improved fleet composition, including adding six industry-leading LNG-powered ships, and our previous investments to increase efficiency and reduce emissions, our absolute carbon emissions peaked in 2011 despite significant capacity growth over the past decade.”
“These tailored service power packages further build on those efforts as part of our comprehensive approach to sustainability.”
The fleet-wide enhancements are part of Carnival’s energy efficiency investment programme. The company has committed to reducing carbon emission intensity by 20% from its 2019 baseline by 2030, supporting its efforts to achieve net carbon-neutral ship operations by 2050.
MSC Cruises has chosen Barcelona as its main port this summer for shore excursions to be operated by electric buses as part of the line’s ongoing sustainability drive, the company said, adding that it is committed to achieving net-zero carbon emission operations by 2050.
Daily excursions for guests from the Spanish port number between 20 and 25 journeys and the use of electric buses will make an annual saving of nearly 10,500 kilograms of CO2 emissions compared to petrol-driven vehicles., according to a statement.
The electric buses are also significantly quieter and reduce potential noise impact on local communities.
MSC Cruises estimates that the new electric buses will transport up to 2,000 passengers every week during the summer from Barcelona and it is working with local tour operators to increase the figure to 4,000 customers with the introduction of more eco-friendly buses to join its sustainable ground transport fleet.
The busses will be available this summer for cruise passengers calling at Barcelona onboard the MSC Armonia, MSC Bellissima, MSC Divina, MSC Fantasia, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Lirica, MSC Magnifica, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Opera, MSC Orchestra, MSC Poesia, MSC Seaview and MSC Virtuosa.
MSC Cruises’ new 11,670 square meter cruise terminal at Barcelona is due to open in 2024 and sustainability credentials will be incorporated into the building. The new cruise terminal is on track to be ‘Gold Rated’ under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – LEED – standard, a widely used global green building rating system.
MSC Cruises, Fincantieri and Snam have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly determine the conditions for the design and construction of what would become the world’s first oceangoing hydrogen-powered cruise ship.
According to a press release, MSC Group, Fincantieri and Snam have joined forces to initially carry out a study that will assess the feasibility of designing and building “the world’s first ocean-going cruise ship powered by hydrogen.” MSC Group said that the ship would allow zero-emissions operations in certain areas and the development of the related hydrogen bunkering infrastructure.
Green hydrogen can be produced without fossil fuels, using renewable energy to split water in a process called electrolysis and can therefore be emissions-free on a full lifecycle basis, MSC said. It can be used to generate electrical power through a fuel cell, emitting only water vapour and heat. This type of ‘green’ hydrogen holds great potential to contribute to the decarbonization of the shipping industry, including cruising, whether in its pure form or as a hydrogen-derived fuel.
“As a company that has long made environmental sustainability its focus, we want to put ourselves at the forefront of the energy revolution for our sector and hydrogen can greatly contribute to this. However, today production levels remain low and hydrogen fuel is still far from being available at scale. With this project, we’re taking the lead to bring this promising technology to our fleet and the industry while sending the strongest possible signal to the market about how seriously we take our environmental commitments. As we advance with the development of the maritime technology required, we will also see that energy providers take note and ramp up production to unlock this and that governments and the public sector step in to provide the necessary support for a project that is critical to the decarbonization of cruising and shipping,” said MSC Group’s Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division, Pierfrancesco Vago.
The CEO of shipbuilding group Fincantieri, Giuseppe Bono, said that “every opportunity for new solutions and technologies is a source of growth for us.”
“This one allows us to offer our customers the best of innovation to help minimize the environmental impact,” he noted.
The CEO of international energy infrastructure operator Snam, Marco Alverà, said that the company was “strongly committed” to concrete initiatives for sustainable heavy transport – on the road, rail and by the sea – promoting the use of renewable gases such hydrogen and bio LNG.
“This agreement for us is part of a wider strategy to leverage on our experience, competencies and technologies in green gases and energy efficiency in order to contribute to the full decarbonization of the shipping value chain, including ports and logistics, which will be increasingly crucial in our economies,” Alverà explained.
“Hydrogen could be a key enabler in achieving the target of net-zero emissions in shipping, accounting for approximately 3 per cent of global CO2 emissions, as well as in all the hard to abate sectors,” he added.
As per the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding, during the next 12 months, the three companies will study key factors related to the development of oceangoing hydrogen-powered cruise ships.
These include arranging ship spaces to accommodate H2 technologies and fuel cells, technical parameters of onboard systems, calculating the potential greenhouse gas emissions savings, and technical and economic analysis of hydrogen supply and infrastructure.
MSC Cruises said that it was committed to achieving net carbon neutral operations by 2050.
“To accomplish this objective, the company is working in partnership with a wide range of shipyards, suppliers, manufacturers and other organizations as well as investing in different upcoming technologies and solutions for its fleet,” MSC Group wrote. “The implementation of the cooperation above described will possibly be an object of future binding agreements to be discussed by the parties in relation thereto.”
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