Cruise industry sustainability advances showcased in new online toolkit

March 14, 2023 – Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has produced a new online toolkit providing insight into the cruise industry’s advances in sustainability.

Designed as an interactive resource for industry stakeholders globally, the new toolkit is accessible to all and contains information that can be downloaded and shared, including reports, statistics, maps, posters, and infographics.

The first edition of the toolkit, which was launched at CLIA’s European Summit in Paris last week, is available in six languages – English, French, German, Italian, Norwegian and Spanish – with more geographies and languages to be covered in a second edition to be issued later in the year.

As well as featuring the numerous environmental innovations being introduced onboard cruise ships, the toolkit is a way to share stories and to raise awareness with local communities and the wider public about how cruising is an integral part of societies and economies. The site includes good practice examples of cooperation between cruise lines, business organisations, ports, and local authorities.

As part of the cruise industry’s pursuit of net zero carbon cruising by 2050, CLIA’s European Summit included a Joint Declaration calling on the European Commission and European governments to include cruise ship building and the maritime technology sector in the forthcoming Net Zero Industry Act.

Involving Cruise lines, shipyards and marine equipment manufacturers, the Joint Declaration calls for: faster access to funding for sustainable shipbuilding and maritime equipment manufacturing; expansion of support and incentives for retrofit programs and deployment of renewable energy for maritime; a dedicated maritime program as part of the EU Pact for Skills so that digital, green, and technical skills stay in Europe; and for maritime to be placed at the heart of the EU digital strategy to enable knowledge-sharing around the sector’s advanced digitalisation practices.

“Cruise lines don’t just provide one of the most popular holiday options for consumers today, but they are also already partnering with shipyards and maritime technology providers to achieve net zero cruising by 2050,” said CLIA Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago. “Pilot projects are underway to test new fuels and propulsion solutions such as batteries, fuel cell technology, advanced biofuels, and synthetic fuels.”

“It is now time for European policy makers and governments to partner with the maritime technology sector,” Mr Vago said. “Europe has an opportunity to lead the way in technology development and maritime excellence for the benefit of future generations.”

The new CLIA toolkit can be accessed via www.cruising.org.au