Cruise companies sign emissions past with La Spezia port

La Spezia, Italy (PortSEurope) October 23, 2019 - The international cruise ship companies, Costa Cruises (also representing AIDA Cruises), MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean International (also representing Azamara and Celebrity Cruises) have signed a voluntary agreement to reduce the impact of emissions into the atmosphere by their cruise ships. Currently, the law requires ships must provide for the change of fuel within two hours of the end of the mooring operation. With the signing of this protocol, even before the ships enter the port, or three miles from the breakwater, vessels will have to switch to a cleaner fuel, with a percentage of sulfur less than 0.1% by mass. The agreement also provides that companies undertake to give commanders and crews of the ships additional guidelines on engine maintenance and management. In keeping with the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2015/757 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29-4-2015, the companies also undertake to transmit to the Port Authority a control report on CO2 emissions and verification of energy efficiency . The agreement is valid until end-2020, with the right to further extend its validity and also to accept the subscription also by other companies. The Voluntary Agreement was finalized today at the headquarters of the AdSP of La Spezia, aimed at reducing the impact of emissions into the atmosphere by cruise ships. The Mayor of the Municipality of La Spezia, Pierluigi Peracchini, was present. The protocol, a turning point for environmental sustainability, was signed by the CV (CP) Massimo SENO, Commander of the Harbor Office of La Spezia; by Francesco Di Sarcina, Secretary General of the ADSP; by Roberto Ferrarini Vice President of Terminal & Port Management - Costa Cruises, also representing AIDA Cruises; by Michele Francioni, Senior Vice President of MSC Cruises; by Alessandro Carollo Director, Port Services of Royal Caribbean International, also representing Azamara and Celebrity Cruises. Comte Massimo Seno said, “With the signing of this important agreement, the efforts of the Harbor Master's Office, the other institutions and the companies' efforts to further reduce the emissions of polluting substances into the atmosphere are realized. Today's signing of the agreement cannot be seen as a point of arrival, but must be read as the shared will of all signatories to target other and further forms of reduction of polluting emissions. This is the spirit and purpose for which the AdSP will always be available for further comparisons and initiatives to receive ever safer and more environmentally friendly ships in port". Di Sarcina, Autorita’di Sistema Portuale del Mar Ligure Orientale (AdSP - Eastern Ligurian Sea Port Authority), "The environmental theme has now become essential, and at the national level our port has all the tools, conditions and above all the will to constitute an example of best practices. With the Environmental Energy Planning document, then, which we will shortly define, we will definitely change the step to achieve the green version of both ports belonging to the Port System Authority”. Peracchini, Mayor SP: "Great teamwork for the green turn of La Spezia. Cruise ships have represented a great opportunity for economic development and tourism for our city and our territory, but since my establishment, I have placed the environmental issue as no longer derogable, above all by relying on the responsibility that all the Mayors have on the health of its citizens. The signing of the agreement between the ADSP, the Capitaneria and the major companies to use greener fuels, testifies to a great teamwork, a great example of politics and union between public and private institutions. A concrete commitment to guarantee environmental sustainability and protect the health of citizens, which falls precisely in the year in which so many young people have shown a profound attention to environmental issues. We have not disappointed them but rather, with this agreement, "The signing of the agreement for La Spezia, after the one signed for Genoa and Savona, further substantiates our commitment to the progressive reduction of the environmental impact of our ships. But what is sanctioned today is a practice that Costa has already undertaken for a few years on a voluntary basis. A real turning point in this area will come soon with the entry into service of our new flagship Costa Smeralda, fed to LNG, the cleanest fossil fuel in the world, which will make a stop right in La Spezia, joining AIDAnova, flagship of the our German brand AIDA Cruises, always powered by LNG", said Roberto Ferrarini, Costa Crociere. Michele Francioni, MSC Cruises, added, "MSC Cruises is at the forefront of sustainability, with one of the world's most innovative fleets, including the environmental technology available on board. The signing of the agreement demonstrates MSC's strong and constant commitment to improving the ecological impact of its activities, both at sea and on land. Thanks to cutting-edge technologies, we have reduced our fleet's carbon dioxide emissions per passenger by almost 30% and this year we will reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide by 43% compared to 2018. With the five new LNG powered ships and over 5 billion euros of investment, sulfur oxide emissions will be cut by 98% and nitrogen oxide emissions by 85%. And, thanks to the presence of a ground-level electrification system on all our most recent ships". "Operating with stricter parameters than the environmental regulations require is fundamental for RCCL: reducing emissions as much as possible is an essential part of our strategy," said Alessandro Carollo of Royal Caribbean. The signing of this agreement today is an important step in view of a continuous collaboration of RCCL with the La Spezia port system. " Source: Autorita’di Sistema Portuale del Mar Ligure Orientale Copyright (C) PortSEurope. All Rights Reserved. 2019.

Cruise companies sign emissions past with La Spezia port

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Cruise companies sign emissions past with La Spezia port

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