Leading cruise lines commit to onshore power supply in the Baltic Sea region
Yesterday the conference Sustainable Cruising took place in Copenhagen, and 19 cruise lines made themselves first movers by signing a Memorandum of Understanding, making a historic commitment to the use of available onshore power supply in the Baltic Sea region.
On April 5th 2022 the Cruise Baltic network, politicians, cruise line executives, and other stakeholders from the cruise industry met in Copenhagen for Sustainable Cruising. The conference marked a historic moment for the entire cruise industry as 19 cruise lines made a significant commitment to the use of onshore power supply by signing a Memorandum of Understanding.
Carnival Corporation, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Ponant, Royal Caribbean Group and Viking Ocean Cruises are the first cruise lines ever to commit voluntary to the use of onshore power supply. With the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, the cruise lines commit to using onshore power supply available at the ports in the Baltic Sea region as soon as possible and no later than from January 1st, 2024.
“Our visions are ambitious and can only be fulfilled if we work together. I’m very satisfied and happy that so many of our partners and stakeholders participated in the conference. With the strong commitment to onshore power supply that Carnival Corporation, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Ponant, Royal Caribbean Group and Viking Ocean Cruises have shown by signing the Memorandum of Understanding, I truly believe that our visions of an even “greener” cruise industry can become a reality,” says Claus Bødker, Director of Cruise Baltic.
Sustainable Cruising is an initiative focused on sustainability within the cruise industry. Besides the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, social and environmental sustainability were on the agenda of the conference with case studies and presentations from several industry leaders and speeches from both the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen and the Danish Minister for Environment.
Most of the ports in the Baltic Sea region were represented at the conference, and in total 19 cruise brands signed the Memorandum of Understanding. According to Cruise Baltic, the support to a greener cruise industry sets a positive example for other cruise lines in the Baltic Sea region.
“The cruise industry is accelerating its green transition and investing in the ability to use shoreside electricity is another important step forward. Such initiatives signal the cruise industry’s commitment to deliver on our climate ambitions and be an active partner in the development of sustainable tourism,” says Marie-Caroline Laurent, Director General, CLIA Europe.
About Sustainable Cruising:
Sustainable Cruising is an initiative that aims to take the cruise industry in a sustainable direction. The conference is an opportunity for industry leaders, cruise line executives, politicians, ports, destinations and other stakeholders with connection to the cruise industry to meet, network and share knowledge.
The initiative started in 2019 with the vision of “Making cruising a sustainable vacation offer in 2030”. This year’s edition of Sustainable Cruising focused on the Memorandum of Understanding where the Cruise Baltic network asked leading cruise lines to commit to using onshore power supply available at the ports in the Baltic Sea region from January 1st, 2024 at latest.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by:
Carnival Corporation:
· Carnival Cruise Line
· Holland-America Line
· Princess Cruises
· Seabourn
· AIDA
· Costa Cruises
· P&O Cruises
· Cunard
MSC Cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings:
· Norwegian Cruise Line
· Oceania Cruises
· Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Ponant
Royal Caribbean Group:
· Royal Caribbean International
· Celebrity Cruises
· Silversea
· TUI Cruises
· Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
Viking Ocean Cruises
For more information: https://www.sustainable-cruising.com/.
Cruise Baltic was founded in 2004 and is a B2B network of 32 ports and destinations in the Baltic Sea Region aiming to promote the region towards cruise lines and travel agents. The network offers all cruise lines easy access, great service, high standards, and full integration between ports and cities throughout the region.
