PLANET
Pathway to decarbonisation
We believe that we will meet the IMO (International Maritime Organization) carbon intensity goal of a 40% reduction from 2008 levels well ahead of the 2030 milestone set by the IMO.
Since decarbonizing marine operations is one of our main priorities our ambitious goal is to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Improving operational efficiency
We are on track to achieve the International Maritime Organization’s 40% carbon intensity reduction for the maritime industry well ahead of the 2030 target. Many sustainability measures are, in fact, simply good business sense because they reduce costs in addition to our environmental footprint. Energy efficiency is an obvious example of that, with LED lighting and heat recovery systems having that dual impact. Anti-fouling paint reduces drag, and lower speeds and trim optimisation make the voyage more comfortable and reduce fuel consumption.
We continue to advance the digitalisation of our energy efficiency programme. In 2022, we completed the installation of Oceanly Performance on all ships in our fleet. This platform enables the continuous monitoring of thousands of raw data points on the position, speed, weather, engine load, flow meters, fuel consumption, torque meters, and all other on-board equipment which can be connected to a central data collector.
Minimising local pollutants
We are a guest in all the ports we visit and strive to minimise our impact on local communities and their environment, particularly in the area of air emissions.Â
Reducing emissions to air: Connecting to shore power enables us to turn off our ships’ engines and connect to the local electrical grid to run our onboard systems. With electricity travelling to the ship through a specially designed transformer at the dock, this process prevents emissions produced from diesel generators, improving local air quality as well as reducing noise and vibration levels – benefitting both the environment and the surrounding communities. Wherever we are involved in building and financing new terminals, we ensure the designs take account of shore power requirements – current examples being the new terminal developments in Barcelona and Miami.Â
Creating freshwater: Every day, the freshwater production plants on our ships use reverse osmosis and evaporation to transform millions of litres of seawater into drinking water. During 2022, we produced over 88% of the 4.8m m3 of freshwater we used on board our ships. As well as drinking it, we use it for cooking, cleaning, and laundry – and even to brew beer on MSC World Europa.
Protecting the biodiversity of our oceans
Maintaining the health of our oceans is key to protecting the planet. As well as being a significant carbon sink, our oceans are home to a wealth of wildlife. MSC Cruises continues to play a proactive role in protecting the marine and coastal habitats around Ocean Cay. We also take care of our use of water for ballast, treating it to ensure it has no adverse environmental impacts.
Marine conservation on Ocean Cay: A fifth of the marine and coastal habitats surrounding the Bahamas have been designated as Marine Protected Areas – in other words, areas that are under some form of management, like Ocean Cay. Following a rigorous selection process, Ocean Cay has been declared a ‘Hope Spot’ by Mission Blue, a coalition committed to the protection of the ocean, indicating that it has been scientifically identified as critical to the health of the ocean. We hope that Ocean Cay will one day be designated as a Marine Protected Area (MPA).
SUSTAINABILITY REPORTS
Our sustainability programme is organized around four key pillars: Planet, People, Place and Procurement
Browse our Sustainability reports and find out what we do to promote sustainable cruising.
