The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is urging governments to expedite sustainable marine fuel production to meet 2030 decarbonisation goals.
- CLIA highlighted that 44,000 tonnes of sustainable fuel will be required in Europe by 2025 to achieve EU targets.
- Significant investments totalling €33.9 billion in cruise ships are anticipated over the next five years.
- Sustainable fuel availability is identified as the critical missing piece in reaching these targets.
- Collaboration with industry leaders and governments is pivotal to ensuring scalable, affordable green fuel solutions.
The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has made an emphatic call for international governments to drastically accelerate the production of sustainable marine fuels. This appeal was made during CLIA’s European Summit in Genoa, where the association underscored the necessity to reach the cruise industry’s ambitious decarbonisation goals by 2030. CLIA projected that a substantial 44,000 tonnes of sustainable fuel will be crucial by 2025, specifically in Europe, to comply with the European Union’s environmental targets.
Over the forthcoming five years, the cruise industry is poised for a major transformation with 55 new ships ordered, representing a staggering investment of €33.9 billion. These investments reflect the industry’s commitment to enhancing ship technology yet underscore the looming challenge of inadequate sustainable fuel supplies. CLIA has identified the availability of such fuels at scale as the ‘missing piece in the puzzle,’ which, if left unaddressed, could stymie progress towards the set environmental objectives.
Jason Liberty, the global chair of CLIA, emphasised the industry’s active pursuit of low-to-zero carbon fuels, acknowledging the crucial importance of synergising efforts with ‘global leaders and change makers’ within the maritime field. Liberty asserted that partnership with ports, governments, and communities is indispensable for the realisation of a green transition within the maritime sector, which demands scalable, affordable solutions for sustainable marine fuels.
Furthermore, CLIA has called for a reinvestment of revenues from the maritime sector’s inclusion in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. This reinvestment is suggested as a means to build the necessary infrastructure and support the deployment of renewable energy solutions. By allocating these funds effectively, the organisation believes that accessible pricing for sustainable fuel can be achieved, thereby facilitating the maritime industry’s environmental transition.
CLIA’s push for sustainable fuel production is a decisive step towards a greener cruise industry future.
