A fifth of the cruise ships operated by Carnival Corporation will be fuelled by liquefied natural gas (LNG) by 2025, with the group claiming decarbonisation to be among its foremost considerations.
Carnival, parent to a number of brands including P&O Cruises, Cunard and Princess, set out its progress towards is 2030 and 2050 sustainability goals in its 13th annual sustainability reports
A majority of the Carnival Corp fleet is now back in service after the pandemic. The group said it was making ‘major strides’ towards its 2030 goals and ‘setting the pace’ industry-wide on pursuing carbon-neutral operations by 2050.
Carnival claims to be the only ‘major’ cruise operator producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions now than it did in 2011; the group says it is on track to achieve a 40 per cent reduction in carbon intensity by 2030 versus 2008, and a 20 per cent reduction by 2030 versus 2019.
In addition, through fleet optimisation, energy and itinerary efficiencies, and the introduction of new technologies and fuels, it expects to achieve a 15 per cent reduction in fuel burn per available lower berth this year, as well as a 15 per cent reduction in emissions by the same measure relative to 2019.
Carnival currently has eight LNG-capable ships in operation, with another three on order; these will, by 2025, account for 20 per cent of its total fleet capacity.
Other developments include piloting the largest-ever battery installation on a passenger ship onboard AIDAprima and testing new fuel cell technology powered by methanol-derived hydrogen on AIDAnova.
AIDAprima and Holland America’s Volendam are also trialing biofuels as alternatives for fossil fuel-based propulsion.
Elsewhere, the group is upgrading its fleet to eco-friendly amenities such as LED lighting, which is expected to save five per cent fuel consumption a year per ship, while 57 per cent of Carnival’s global fleet is now able to utilise shore power in port, reducing emissions and noise.
