Hans Peter Arnold - cruise vacation is popular, the passenger numbers are steadily increasing. But this also increases the criticism, because the luxury Monster pollute the environment significantly.
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| Oasis of the Seas from Royal Caribbean Cruise Linei one of the largest cruise ships in the world. It is 360 meters long and can hold up to 6296 passengers. (Photo: Keystone) |
"Behind the polished facade of AIDA, TUI and Queen Mary II, it stinks mightily," grumbles the German Society for Nature Conservation (NABU). The 15 largest ships in the world would annually emit more harmful sulfur oxides than all 760 million cars worldwide. Even the most luxurious cruise ships would not reach the emission standards that would apply to cars or trucks for a long time.
"In particular, suffer on the coasts and in the ports of the residents under the cloud of poisonous gas and have literally fed up," says Alexander Porschke by NABU. Most of the ships' exhaust gases are emitted near a coastline and ports.
"60 000 deaths per year"
James Corbett is considered one of the most renowned experts on ship emissions. His studies suggest that the ship emissions cause worldwide each year up to 60 000 premature deaths. "The ship's exhaust gases are among the least regulated sectors of the global transportation system," says James Corbett.
Instead of focusing on relatively clean marine diesel, the cruise ships burn on the high seas still so-called heavy oil. This residue comes from oil refineries and is considered the most filthy of all fuels. Another problem is that diesel particulate filter, which deserve this name, built in the fewest ships. "There is still no mass production of particulate filters for cruise ships," one insider describes as opposed to 20 minutes online a problem. In fact, the individual production plays an important role in the maritime industry.
Lavish luxury consumption
Although the environmental aspect also holds for modern luxury ships catchment. However, this is basically a wasteful luxury consumption component. Even the basic data to make this clear.For example, the "Oasis of the Seas" from Royal Caribbean Cruise Line - with 360 meters length and up to 6296 passengers, one of the largest cruise ships in the world: The power generator of the "Oasis of the Seas" is 119 919 hp. The 21 pools hold about 2.3 million liters of water. Every day requires about 2.1 million gallons of fresh water. The lower the capacity utilization, the greater the energy consumption per passenger.
What is the Swiss travel industry - Message Boards
One is aware that many cruise ships emit pollutants, Kuoni spokesman Peter Brun says on request. Precisely for this reason working with Kuoni in the development of international standards in sustainability for cruise ships. Kuoni admittedly possesses no cruise ships. "But we welcome the fact that different countries have to cut in their emissions of ships in ports by law." Major shipping companies have now also established an Environmental Management. New ships would be equipped with environmentally friendly soot filters. Brun: "We want that number increased rapidly on."
Hotel and Travel House also plan-Star Ocean offer river cruises, and expeditions. Here we work together with shipping companies, which would put great emphasis on modern and correspondingly low-emission fleets, says Valentin Handschin, manager of sustainability at Hotelplan Suisse. Handschin, "In addition, we actively encourage our customers as a tour operator to compensate for the C02 emissions from their voyages through a donation to our climate partner organization Myclimate."
Only 0.5 percent of the fleet are cruise ships
TUI to work consistently on the reduction of environmental impacts, says Roland Schmid, spokesman for TUI Suisse. "We support any constructive dialogue so that all means of transportation emissions can be reduced." It must be about addressing the problem holistically.
In fact, NABU also speaks of the 15 largest ocean-going vessels and cruise ships do not. That means it goes to all vessels such as tankers, container ships and cargo, and not just cruise ships. Only 0.5 percent of the world's civilian fleet are cruise ships.
Source : www.20min.ch
