Cruise Ships - Research Summaries

1. Marine Pollution Bulletin 173 (2021) 112979

• Waste management practices on cruise ships do not always meet basic technical conditions for communal and hazardous waste disposal, resulting in emissions of hazardous sub- stances such as dioxins (through incineration), floating macro waste, and micro and nano plastics, with consequent impacts on marine fauna (Caric, 2011). Furthermore, incineration remains (ash) have often been dumped into the sea (Herz and Davis, 2002).
• Globally, chronic pollution from bilge waters and fuel released in standard ship operations accounts for as much as three times more pollution than re- ported acute oil spills and collisions (Clark, 2006). Fragile habitats such as seagrass meadows are highly sensitive to hydrocarbons (Bucalossi et al., 2006), while polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have significant consequences for populations of marine birds, as well as marine mam- mals and turtles (Honda and Suzuki, 2020).
• Acid rain caused by the emissions of SO_x and NO_x can travel large distances from the site of emission and have the potential to effect green cover in coastal areas
• Levels of NOx in heavy cruise traffic zones such as Norway’s fjords at times exceeded values that could have a negative impact on health, while NOx together with soot particles and water vapour also contrib- uted to the formation of smoke clouds (Norwegian Maritime Authority,
• The findings of a study that measured the concentration of PM on the deck of several major cruise line ships during 2017 and 2018 (Kennedy, 2019) demonstrated that a source of PM—likely, in part from the ship’s exhaust system-
• —contributed to poorer air quality in the stern areas of cruise This study also indicated that the concentrations of PM on the decks of these ships are comparable to concentrations measured in polluted cities, including Beijing and Santiago.
• Air pollution has been closely associated with adverse health effects such as respiratory diseases (including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma) (Kim et al., 2018) and cardiovascular diseases including atherosclerosis and stroke (Lee et al., 2014). Each of the gaseous and particulate components of cruise air pollution can have a detrimental effect on human health. In particular, SO_X and NO_X can cause premature death, including from lung cancer and cardiovascular disease, and morbidity, g., asthma (Chen et al., 2019; Gruzieva et al., 2013; Guarnieri and Balmes, 2014; Transport and Environment, 2019).
• Clinical studies have generally shown a greater impact of particulate matter (PM) air pollution on health than the gaseous components. The PM emitted from ship engines burning diesel fuel or heavy fuel oil and is primarily composed of small (less than 1 μm) solids or liquid droplets suspended in the air (Caric et al., 2019; Kennedy, 2019). PM is associ- ated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes, increasing overall cardio- vascular and respiratory mortality (Hamanaka and Mutlu, 2018). These ultrafine particles can be inhaled deep into the lungs and from there enter into the bloodstream producing detrimental effects to the cardio- vascular and respiratory systems (Nelin et , 2012). PM concentration has also been associated with other adverse health outcomes that are detailed with examples in Supplementary Table 1.

2. Friends of the Earth

 https://foe.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Comparison_of_CO2_Emissions_v2.pdf

• Cruise Passengers have a carbon footprint that is 8 times higher than the average carbon footprint of an individual visiting by land.

3. Stop Crosiers

 https://stop-croisieres.org

• Particle pollution affects the airways and lungs and can cause problems in other parts of your body. It’s especially bad for people with chronic heart and lung diseases (like asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema), children, and the elderly. It makes these illnesses worse, which can lead to hospitalization or even premature death.
• Nitrogen oxide harms the lungs. It irritates the respiratory systems and increases symptoms in people with asthma. Children, the elderly, and people with asthma are at increased risk of health effects after exposure to nitrous oxide. Long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide can cause asthma in children.
• Nitrogen oxides also contribute to a complex chain of chemical reactions that form ground-level ozone and nitrates containing fine particles. Ozone and fine particles are also harmful to health.
• SOx  irritates the respiratory system and causes inflammation and constriction of the airways. Children, the elderly, and people with asthma are at increased risk of health effects after exposure to SOx. Particles containing sulfates can contribute to the formation of haze which reduces visibility.
• Cruise Ship in one hour emits the equivalent amount of nitrogen oxide as 30,000 vehicles traveling at 30 km/h [10] .

4. Transport Environment

https://www.transportenvironment.org/wpcontent/uploads/2023/06/The-return-of-the-cruise-June-2023.pdf

• despite the introduction of the UN shipping body’s sulphur cap in 2020, Europe’s 218 cruise ships emitted more sulphur oxides (SOX) than 1 billion cars in 2022, or 4.4 times more than all the continent’s cars.
• SOX are chemical compounds that can include sulphur dioxide (SO2) and/or sulphur trioxide (SO3), which can provoke cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and lead to premature death [4]. Similarly, NOX emissions – which can include nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) – can lead to respiratory diseases and are a precursor of ground-level ozone, another health-impacting pollutant. Together, SOX and NOX emissions contribute to the acidification of rains which affects the balance of ecological systems, especially plants and animals that are sensitive to acidic waters. Finally, PM2.5 emissions are particles made up of fine dust, soot and smoke, that can be inhaled through human lungs.1
• One cruise ship emits the same amount of methane as 10,500 cows

5. ICCT https://theicct.org/publication/air-emissions-and-water-pollution-discharges-from-ships-with-scrubbers/

• They discharge roughly 10 gigatonnes of highly acidic water from their exhausts which has ‘severe toxic effects’ on zooplankton, the tiny crustaceans that are food for cod, herring and other fish.

6. PHAROS4MPAs

Caric, H., Jakl, Z., Laurent, C., Mackelworth, P., Noon, V., Petit, S., Piante, C., Randone, M.

(2019). Safeguarding Marine Protected Areas in the growing Mediterranean Blue Economy. Recommendations for the cruise sector. PHAROS4MPAs project 48 pages.

• One study identified that the environmental cost of cruise tourism are up to 7 times higher than the economic benefits of local communities
• ACID RAIN caused by emissions of sulphur dioxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) can travel large distances from the site of emission. It has the potential to reduce green cover in coastal areas[38][39] and modify the pH of the water: in turn, acidification alters the life cycle of marine ecosystems.[40]
• AIR POLLUTION from ships’ exhausts is a widely discussed topic internationally: for decades there have been concerns about the contribution of the shipping industry to local and global air pollution, health and environmental problems.