ACO Marine has welcomed the findings of the annual Friends of the Earth (FOE) 2016 Cruise Ship Report Card, which illustrates the cruise sector’s overall impact on the environment and highlights in particular the need for the sector to update its sewage treatment technologies.
The survey conducted across 17 cruise lines and 171 cruise ships highlighted that many cruise ships continue to operate using sewage treatment plants that are out of date, with 40% of cruise ships using 35-year old technology.
ACO Marine has subsequently steeped forward to suggest that this warrants the need for ship owners to upgrade their systems to prevent environmental damage that occurs from discharging poorly treated black, grey and galley wastewater.
The FOE report card uses an A to F rating system to grade ships on their air pollution reduction, sewage treatment, water quality compliance and transparency. FOE found that only seven cruise lines were worthy of an A rating for sewage treatment, while only one cruise company, Disney Cruise Line, was awarded an A- overall. Aside from Disney Cruise Line, all other lines received an F for their transparency, indicating a lack of participation in response to the FOE request in 2015 for further information regarding their environmental practises. Compared with 2014, only three cruise lines showed progress in advancing their treatment technologies and overall rating.
According to Mark Beavis, Managing Director of ACO Marine, “the report card paints a contrasting picture to the environmentally conscientious one offered by the cruise lines themselves.”
He states that “40% of cruise ships are still using wastewater treatment technology developed in the 1980s suggests that some of these cruise ships are unable to meet current regulatory requirements. Certainly some of these vessels will be incapable of meeting the more stringent requirements set out in MEPC.227 (64), which limits the amount of phosphorous and nitrogen discharged in treated effluent.”
ACO Marine also highlights the importance of investing in environmental conservation and wastewater technology to prevent nitrification of the seas due to the increasing expedition-type cruising in ecologically sensitive areas.
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