“This is a misguided direction,” said Bryan Comer, Director of the Marine Program at the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), regarding the cruise ship The Icon of the Seas.
On January 27, the world’s largest cruise ship, The Icon of the Seas, began its first commercial voyage from Miami, Florida (USA).
The Icon of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world. (Photo: Reuters).
This ship is considered a paradise of relaxation at sea, measuring five times larger than the Titanic: 366 meters long, 20 decks high, with a weight of 250,800 tons, and a capacity to carry 9,950 people (including 7,600 guests and 2,350 crew members).
The Icon of the Seas features a total of 8 residential zones, designed according to the generations and preferences of passengers. This includes 2,805 living spaces (28 room types), 40 restaurants and bars, 7 pools, 1 theater, and dozens of entertainment areas.
However, the Icon of the Seas is expected to consume a massive amount of liquefied natural gas (LNG) during its operation. Environmental groups are concerned that this will be a source of harmful methane emissions, exacerbating the ongoing greenhouse gas pollution crisis worldwide.
According to industry experts, cruise ships like the Icon of the Seas use low-pressure dual-fuel engines that can leak methane into the atmosphere during combustion—a phenomenon known in technical terms as “methane slip.”
Although there are two other types of engines that emit less methane and are typically used in bulk carriers or container ships, they are not suitable for installation on cruise ships.
“The use of LNG as marine fuel by commercial ships will contribute to greenhouse gas emissions over their lifetime by more than 120% compared to the oil sector,” stated Bryan Comer, Director of the Marine Program at the ICCT.
“This is a misguided direction,” he affirmed.
The Icon of the Seas is a floating city. (Photo: Reuters).
According to the ICCT, in terms of global warming impact, methane has a potency over 80 times greater than carbon dioxide (CO2) over a 20-year period. This factor makes reducing methane emissions key to curbing global temperature rise.
Royal Caribbean, the owner of The Icon of the Seas, also stated that their new ship has a carbon emission performance that is 24% higher than the regulations set by the global transportation authority, the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
According to the International Cruise Line Association, of the 54 ships ordered between January 2024 and December 2028, 63% are expected to operate on LNG. Additionally, currently, about 6% of the 300 operating cruise ships are running on LNG.
The phenomenon of global warming due to fossil fuel combustion has led to heatwaves that are hotter, longer, and more frequent, while the world is experiencing a surge of extreme weather events such as storms and floods.
The severe heatwaves and intense wildfires that occurred in mid-2023 across various regions of the Northern Hemisphere have raised alarms about their impacts on health, ecosystems, and the economy.
Scientists indicate that the world will need to adapt to the warming and must significantly reduce carbon pollution to avoid worse outcomes in the future.
