THE global cruise industry has called for action to increase the production and supply of sustainable marine fuels, at its European Summit in Genoa.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and its global cruise leaders issued the appeal, estimating 44,000 tonnes of sustainable marine fuel will be needed in Europe by next year, based on 2023’s consumption, to be in line with the EU’s 2030 decarbonisation goals.
CLIA is calling on governments to help accelerate the transition by setting more ambitious production targets, particularly for synthetics and biofuels.
It is also appealing for governments to reinvest the revenues received from the maritime sector as part of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme to fund the necessary infrastructure and support deployment of renewable energy solutions at an accessible price.
“The cruise industry is making enormous investments to lay the foundation for a future of low-to-zero carbon fuels,” Chair Jason Liberty said.
“Collaboration with our industry’s global leaders and changemakers is critical to ensure that sustainable marine fuels are available, affordable, and scalable.
“We look forward to strengthening our partnerships with ports, governments, and communities to fully realise the green transition of the maritime sector.”
CLIA also said it is embarking on a research study to combine fuel infrastructure, technology, and sailing routes to identify the local investment needed for the industry to decarbonise by 2050.
The cruise industry is pursuing a variety of sustainable energy sources, in cooperation with fuel producers and engine manufacturers, including internationally certified sustainable biofuels, and synthetic e-fuels such as e-methane and e-methanol.
Other sources being explored as part of hybrid solutions include electric batteries, bio-LNG, e-LNG, methanol, and hydrogen.
