Of the 26.6 million people that went on cruises last year, nearly half, about 12 million people, went on a cruise on one of Carnival Corporation’s 10 subsidiaries: Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises (Australia) and P&O Cruises (UK), Fathom.
Most ships in Carnival’s global fleet are fueled with ultra-dirty heavy fuel oil — putting passengers and coastal communities at unacceptable and unnecessary risk. Sometimes called residual oil, heavy fuel oil is the bottom-of-the-barrel, tar-like sludge waste that is left over after other petroleum products are made from crude. It is so dirty that on land, heavy fuel oil is classified as hazardous waste. When burned, heavy fuel oil releases enormous amounts of toxins, heavy metals, greenhouse gases, and dangerous particulate matter.
Air pollution issues related to ship exhaust from the global shipping industry are well-documented. A 2018 study attributed up to 400,000 annual premature deaths from lung and cardiovascular disease to ship engine exhaust. And a 2018 investigation measuring air pollution from cruise ships in Greece prompted the British Heart Foundation to issue advice in September telling cruise passengers to avoid standing downwind of the ship’s smokestacks.
Approximately 70% of ship emissions occur within 250 miles of land. These emissions can travel inland and expose millions of unsuspecting people to dangerous pollution levels, which raises serious concerns for cruise ship meccas like Miami and Fort Lauderdale and port cities around the world.
Travel Professionals, your voices are vital!
Join the growing movement of people from around the world telling Carnival Corporation to stop putting cruisers and communities at risk so it can keep burning ultra-dirty, dangerous heavy fuel oil!