Cruise & Ferry Review - Spring/Summer 2021

3 0 MARKETWATCH MSC Cruises is to implement a range of new initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of its ships, including researching and adopting new sustainable technologies. The cruise line is equipping its two new ships, MSC Virtuosa and MSC Seashore, with technologies designed to minimise their environmental footprints. They include hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems and selective catalytic reduction systems which will reduce sulphur oxide emissions from the ships by 98 per cent and nitrogen oxide emissions by 90 per cent. It is also partnering with industry leaders in the CHEK Consortium, a research project that promotes low-carbon shipping by combining new energy technologies and ship designs. MSC Cruises commits to environmental initiatives Miami-Dade County, utility company Florida Power & Light and cruise companies Carnival Corporation, Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Royal Caribbean Group and Virgin Voyages have agreed to work together to bring shore power to PortMiami. A working group with representatives of the involved parties will be formed to work towards the initial installation as quickly as possible. PortMiami will be the first port in the southeastern USA to provide shore power if the initiative is successful. The Government of Gibraltar has approved Shell’s application for a licence to provide bunkering operations for the maritime industry at the Port of Gibraltar. “The Gibraltar Port Authority now looks forward to working with Shell to further develop the range of bunkering service at the Port of Gibraltar to include LNG bunkering,” said Vijay Daryanani, Gibraltar’s Minister for the Port. Shore power to be developed at PortMiami Shell awarded LNG bunker licence for Gibraltar