Carnival Corporation Reports Progress Towards Emissions Reduction Targets

Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s leading cruise company, reports progress towards its near-term emissions reduction goals.

The company says it is on track to achieve an 18% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity by 2024, compared to 2019 levels. This progress puts the company just two percentage points away from its original 2030 target.

By the end of this year, Carnival expects its GHG emission intensity to have reduced by 42% since 2008, which could potentially exceed the timeline set by the International Maritime Organization for carbon intensity reduction in 2030.

Last year, Carnival Corporation decided to bring forward its 2030 GHG intensity reduction goal by four years, promising a minimum 20% decrease by 2026. The company, which has increased its capacity by roughly 30% since 2011, now generates over 10% less total GHG emissions than its peak year due to its continuous efforts to enhance energy efficiency, decrease fuel usage, and employ emission-reducing technologies and lower-emission fuels.

Carnival Corporation has adopted two main strategies to achieve these significant reductions. One approach involves reducing fuel usage, which also reduces GHG emissions since cruise ships generate electricity from fuel. The company has introduced several fuel-saving and energy-efficient innovations and continues to invest in improvements. The measures range from upgrading fleet with advanced technology systems to optimizing hull design, developing energy-saving itineraries, using shoreside electric power capabilities when in port, and friction-reducing Air Lubrication Systems (ALS).

Simultaneously, the company has been investigating ways to decrease GHG and other emissions from the fuel already in use, while also leading the industry in exploring new technologies to power its ships, as there is currently no zero-emission fuel widely available for the maritime industry. This includes having nine Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)-capable ships in service and two more on order, which are already reducing direct carbon emissions by up to 20%. The company is also experimenting with advanced fuel technologies, including lithium-ion battery storage systems and testing hydrogen-derived from methanol fuel cells.

Long-term, Carnival Corporation is pursuing net zero emissions from ship operations by 2050. 

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