Andrea Zelinski
Cruise lines have made it a goal to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and there are many ways to do it. Some solutions have been made onboard, like using energy-efficient light bulbs; turning off cabin electricity when guests take their keycard out of the room; and reconfiguring how ships recirculate heat.
The industry is looking at big ways to make a dent in their emissions, too. A major way is to change the fuel types used by the ships. Another strategy is to use shore power in port to reduce the need to burn fuel when at a standstill. This strategy is so important to Seattle, a major hub for cruises to Alaska, that the port will require all ships to use shore power there in 2027.
A third method is to craft itineraries that require less fuel.
MSC Cruises has taken a step in that direction by using a new itinerary planning tool that it said could cut emissions by 10% to 15% fleetwide in 2026.
MSC plans to use a planning tool called OptiCruise to reach what it described as "optimum efficiency" without sacrificing guests' satisfaction with its itineraries. The tool does this by using a formula to balance the sequencing of elements such as port calls; arrival and departure times at port; ship speed; guest appeal of the destinations and shore excursions; and operational costs for fuel, port charges and food.
This is all a part of the big cruise industry goal to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It's a big goal. The University of Exeter reported on cruising and environmental issues in the Marine Pollution Bulletin journal in September 2021; it said that research suggests that one large cruise ship can have a greater carbon footprint than 12,000 cars and that a weeklong Antarctic cruise could produce the equivalent carbon dioxide emissions than a European does in an entire year.
Because itinerary planning happens two years in advance, MSC's guests and advisors won't experience the itineraries and schedules now being devised until 2026. But when 2026 arrives, the entire fleet (expected to grow to 24 ships, up from 22 now) will use these itineraries.
The line tested a prototype of this program on the MSC Bellissima during 12 months of sailing in the Mediterranean between 17 ports of call. The OptiCruise program was developed by OPTIMeasy, a research company affiliated with the University of Genoa. The initiative is part of the EU-funded Project CHEK, which is meant to investigate and test opportunities in low-carbon shipping.
There are still a lot of questions: How will the itineraries and schedules be different? Will guests like them as much? Will it mean more or less time in port?
Or will guests even notice a difference, like when the lights of their cabin automatically flip off when they close their door with their keycard in hand.