File Photo. Carnival Fantasy. Credit: CC BY 2.0 / Ron Cogswell
Carnival Corporation announced agreements for the recycling of two retired cruise ships scheduled to leave its fleet.
Carnival said the move comes as part of the its strategy for a phased resumption of cruises with specific ships and brands returning to service over time.
The two ships in question are the 1990-built Carnival Fantasy and 1996-built Carnival Inspiration.
Video of the Carnival Fantasy being driven ashore in Aliaga, Turkey was widely circulated online.
Carnival Corporation said it selected Turkey-based EGE CELIK and SIMSEKLER based on their track records of compliance with national and international environmental agreements and regulations. Both companies are certified by the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, and are also strictly required to adhere to a complex matrix of global standards set forth by the European Union (EU), International Maritime Organization (IMO), International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Basel Convention multilateral environmental agreement.
Carnival said it worked with the environmental non-profit Bellona Foundation, a lead partner in the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, and the specialized ship recycling experts Sea2Cradle to formulate an approach to dismantling and recycling the ships in a responsible manner.
“Our highest responsibility and top priorities are compliance, environmental protection, and the health, safety and well-being of our guests, the communities we visit and our crew,” said Bill Burke, chief maritime officer for Carnival Corporation. “That commitment extends to our cruise ships, starting from the moment a ship becomes part of our fleet and continuing all the way through to its retirement. In addition to limiting our vessels’ impact on the environment throughout their service time in our fleet, recycling our retired ships following the European Ship Recycling Regulation ensures we are applying the highest global standards and contributing to a sustainable cruise industry.”
Since the suspension of cruise operations in mid-March in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, cruise companies have been forced to take significant actions to reduce operating expenses, including accelerating the retirement of older ships and delaying new ship arrivals.
Last month, the Royal Caribbean subsidiary Pullmantur Cruises announced the sale of three ships for demolition, including the 1991-built MS Monarch, MS Sovereign and MS Horizon.
In fact, in the video above (or photo below) you can see the MS Monarch and MS Sovereign already “beached” next to the Carnival Fantasy.
https://twitter.com/Rose_Water_Lily/status/1290067626333528066
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