Shocking figures for the hugely popular cruise holiday: a new study has found that the average cruise ship emits twice as much CO₂ per passenger as an airplane.
What is the price of a trip on a sea liner, when buying a ticket for which many are sure that they are choosing a more environmentally friendly type of travel?
Last year, the number of cruise passengers in Denmark broke all previous records, tells Euronews. Cruises have seen a resurgence in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic, with steady growth expected in the industry in the coming years.
However, a recent study by Danish Public Radio found that Floating hotels pollute the atmosphere more than planesNiels Buus Christensen, senior research fellow at the Institute of Transport Economics in Oslo, says:
“Cruise ships emit significantly more CO₂ per passenger than cars or planes. This is to be expected when you are travelling with shops, restaurants and hotels on board. This makes cruising fundamentally different from driving or flying.”
Many passengers who arrived in Copenhagen on a cruise ship had no idea that their favorite form of transport was so harms the environmentHetty Doyle from Australia is shocked:
“I thought, on the contrary, I was choosing a ship that cares about the planet.”
It is worth recalling that Most cruise ships run on heavy fuel oil, which is contaminated with chemicals such as sulfur and nitrogen. Fuel oil also has a thick consistency, making it dangerous to marine life.
Experts say significant efforts to reduce CO₂ emissions from coastal shipping lie with shipbuilders and operators, while policy initiatives that encourage companies to switch to cleaner fuels could make a difference.
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