Carnival Corp. Significantly Expands Clean-Air Program
Carnival Corporation is investing US$400 million to expand innovative exhaust gas-cleaning technology to over 70 vessels across its brands, up from 32 announced last year and covering more than 70% of its entire fleet.
Carnival Corporation is investing as much as US$400 million to design, build and install the systems, being used for the first time in the restricted space found on cruise ships. The systems enable Carnival Corporation to meet new regulations that place a cap on sulfur content of fuel oil at 0.1%, resulting in significantly reduced air emissions. The systems will help the company meet its environmental sustainability goals, as well as mitigate escalating fuel costs.
The systems, known for their ability to clean – or “scrub” – exhaust from high-sulfur fuel, are scheduled to be installed over the next three years. The current installation schedule initially includes 22 Carnival Cruise Lines vessels, nine Holland America Line vessels, seven Princess Cruises vessels and three Cunard vessels. In addition to those 41 ships, two other Carnival Corporation brands, AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises, will also install the systems – 10 ships for AIDA Cruises and six ships for Costa Cruises. On May 5, AIDAluna emerged from a nine-day dry dock in Hamburg, Germany, with the first stage of the comprehensive exhaust gas treatment system installed.
“This is a key step forward for Carnival Corporation and its 10 brands — and most importantly for the environment,” said Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald. “We believe Carnival Corporation’s investment in this industry-leading technology will set a new course in environmental protection and cleaner air for years to come. Increasing environmental sustainability is one of our most important corporate goals, and having the new systems on our ships will be another effective way for us to meet that objective.”