Over 24 hours, a mid-sized cruise ship can create as much emissions as 1,000,000 cars. While the million number at first might seem unbelievable, keep in mind that engines must run 24/7 during a cruise, even while in port, since the luxuries onboard such as pools, roller coasters, and restaurants require significant energy. That pollution isn’t just damanging to the planet, it’s toxic to passengers onboard and those who live close to ports. Most ships lack particulate filters or catalytic converters to clean exhaust, so passengers at sea looking to enjoy the top-deck sun, are often breathing untreated fumes.
Recent investigations have found that the air quality on some ships is similar to that of the world’s most polluted cities like Shanghai and Delhi. The industry has recently tried to frame themselves as technological “innovators” by implementing ‘scrubbers’ in the exhaust system. Scrubbers pump thousands of tons of sea water into exhaust stacks, washing out sulfur and other toxic chemicals from the smoke. That water is then dumped back into the ocean, which in effect turns what would be air pollution into water pollution.