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Costa inks Genoa Blue Agreement to cut sulphur emissions

Costa Cruises signs up to the Genoa Blue Agreement for the ports of Genoa and Savonalow
Costa Cruises returns to Genoa
Costa Cruises has signed up to the Genoa Blue Agreement for the ports of Genoa and Savona.

This requires that marine gasoil with a sulphur content not exceeding 0.1% by mass to be used before entering the ports of Savona and Genoa.

Currently over 70% of ships in the Costa fleet are already equipped with exhaust gas cleaning systems, which ensure almost complete removal of sulphur oxides, a 75% reduction of particulates and a significant reduction of nitrogen oxides.

Costa Fortuna called Genoa in March marking Costa Cruises’ return to regular service at the port, where it expects to handle 170,000 passengers in 2019. The company has confirmed Costa Pacifica will be docking in Genoa in 2020 instead of Costa Fortuna. During Genoa calls, Costa Fortuna has nine new shore experiences for passengers.

In total, the Costa Group will make 243 calls in the Liguria region this year, bringing around 1.2m passengers.

Savona remains Costa's main port. The company and the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority are investing more than €20m in preparation for the arrival of Costa Smeralda, Costa's first LNG fuelled ship. The port expects 164 calls this year bringing 750,000 passengers.

In La Spezia, Costa Cruises, together with other companies, has won the contract to manage the port's cruise services, which includes the construction of a new cruise terminal. In 2019, Costa Group ships will make 50 calls at the port of La Spezia, including 29 calls from AIDA Cruises’, AIDAnova, where it expects to handle 250,000 passengers.

Costa President Neil Palomba said his company is glad to strengthen its environmental commitment and that other shipping lines have also committed to the Genoa Blue Agreement.

Giving back to the community

Plans for a new community centre for residents of the Certosa district of Genoa have been submitted by the Costa Crociere Foundation and the Municipality of Genoa. The 530sqmtr centre with large outside spaces, will occupy the first floor of a building owned by the Municipality. The renovation work is due to start by the end of August to create an innovative multifunctional space, with the involvement of local associations and institutions.

The Costa Crociere Foundation will initially invest at least €330,000 in the project, resulting from the Insieme per Genova (Together for Genoa) fundraising campaign.