Cruising Holidays Without The Eco Damage
In the latest ‘eco-friendly’ move by governments to reduce carbon emissions from various modes of transport, the cruising industry has been put under the microscope and asked to invest in more sustainable and cleaner ship developments in the coming years. The extent to which cruise ships damage the environment really entered the public’s consciousness a few years ago with a number of critical expert reports released to the media, and this is something cruise companies wish to put behind them. Couple this with the increased taxes that vessels are now receiving based on carbon emissions, and there is real motivations to innovate. Below are details of three great innovations in making cruise ships more eco-friendly.
Enhanced Efficiency. Not only are ships now being made from more sustainable materials and but they are also being designed and constructed to more efficient specifications. The materials are getting lighter so less energy is needed for propulsion, soft sails are often being included, and a company in Ireland have pioneered a biogas-powered engine, set to soon be used by Cunard cruises. A very clever hydrodynamic hull that turns the energy from waves into propulsion energy is also the brain child of the same Irish company.
Hybrid Engines. We have all heard of the very successful hybrid cars that use both fuel and battery power to move. Now ship builders such as those making boats for Silversea Cruises are getting in on the action and making boats that couple the traditional diesel power with electrical power. When a ship comes into harbor it is connected to the shoreside power source and gets a quick charge up of its huge batteries
Cargo Sharing. A great idea being trialled by Oceania Cruises is ‘cargo sharing’. If a cruise ship has not filled all its spaces, it can offer to carry commercial cargo for other companies sending things to the same place, for a small commission of course. A few extra bucks are earned by the cruise companies who would have otherwise wasted space, the company who are shipping the cargo massively save on costs and less pollution is released into the environment. Everyone’s a winner.