Cruise lines talk port investment, regulations and regional shifts

The region has seen continuous growth in 2024 with better performance than in 2023 and 2019. 

Differentiation 

On challenges facing the industry, Mario Zanetti, president of Costa Cruises, said, ‘We are fishing in a broader sea. It's very important that we keep evolving in terms of differentiating from one another, because in this way, we can… attract different segments of customers.’ 

There is 'a long way to go,’ he added, when it comes to the green transition, before echoing the theme of this year’s Seatrade Cruise Med: Partnering for Progress. ‘We need to partner to really move forward. We have very challenging goals and targets… for winning this battle, we need to partner with other private and public stakeholders; this is important because we need investments in terms of technology [and] availability of alternative fuels.’ 

Legislation 

Marie-Caroline Laurent, director general, Cruise Lines International Association, Europe, described this year as ‘very much a transition phase’ when it comes to the implementation of the European Union emission trading scheme (ETS) which launched on January 1. ‘Probably we will not see much of the impact this year,’ she stated. 

Roll out of the IMO carbon intensity index also came into force this year.  

The FuelEU Maritime Regulation comes into force in 2025, requiring a 2% reduction in carbon intensity. ‘That means there needs to be a transformation of the fuels used,’ Laurent stated. Biofuel, LNG, bio methane and bio LNG are among the short term options to meet this target between 2025 and 2030. 

‘As of 2030, we will see an acceleration of these requirements with a 6% increase.’ A mandate for shoreside electricity will also kick in. 

Technology 

‘Everybody is on the same path. We are totally committed to reducing our carbon footprint,’ said Wybcke Meier, CEO, TUI Cruises, emphasising the need to ‘ramp up’ the availability of alternative fuels. 

TUI Cruises is in an ‘expansion phase’ with Mein Schiff 7 methanol-ready and plans underway to retrofit existing ships. Laurent said that among CLIA members, seven methanol enabled ships are planned or complete

‘We have a dual challenge as a company in that we operate older tonnage, and retrofitting is challenging on older technology,’ remarked Chris Theophilides, CEO at Celestyal Cruises. ‘The second challenge is that we operate smaller ships in the typical larger scale new builds, and in our case, we are spending quite heavily as a relatively small operator.’ Celestyal spent 100m Euros less than two years ago in updating its fleet. One of the main criteria within that investment was bringing in tonnage that can adapt to new technologies. 

‘We’re very interested to hear what people are saying about getting methanol ready for operators of smaller ships. We need to take R&D to another level to make sure that these new technologies are implementable on a smaller scale.’ 

Compared with 2023, TUI Cruises’ use of shorepower in Northern Europe is up 200% this year. 

Figen Ayan, president, MedCruise revealed 30% of the association’s port members have plans to introduce infrastructure either to supply shorepower or provide LNG fuel. 

Shifts in the Med

‘It's been a very good year,’ Theophilides observed, ‘we're seeing some systemic shifts in the Eastern Mediterranean, our primary area of operation, which bodes well for the future.

‘This includes a noticeable shift from transit calls into the East Med to turnarounds and homeporting, especially when it comes to Athens. That suggests that we have reached a critical mass of airlift, which was one of the restraints…’ 

He said Celestyal has also detected an increasing number of luxury and ultra luxury cruise lines operating in the height of summer in the Eastern Med.

Discussion also turned to advocating for continued EU and national funding to support port infrastructure development projects, as well as the need for the cruise industry to work together to communicate the economic and social benefits of cruising.

Seatrade Cruise Med takes place at the Trade Fairs & Congress Center of Málaga, Spain, from September 11-12.