Icon of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, is embarking on its maiden voyage from Miami. However, environmentalists warn that the huge vessel will emit large amounts of methane because it runs on liquefied natural gas.
This was reported by the BBC.
The liner will embark on a seven-day trip to the islands in the tropics and will open a “new era of vacation,” according to the Royal Caribbean Group. The huge Icon of the Seas is 365 meters long and almost 50 meters wide and has 20 decks. It can accommodate 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew members. Tickets start at UAH 200 thousand.
At the same time, Brian Comer, director of the maritime program at the International Council for Clean Transportation (ICCT), says that Icon of the Seas is “a step in the wrong direction.”
“We estimate that the use of LNG as a marine fuel produces 120% more greenhouse gas emissions than marine gas oil,” Comer said.
Cruise ships running on LNG often emit it directly into the atmosphere. These emissions contain methane, which increases the greenhouse effect much more than carbon dioxide. That is why cargo ships are already being built that run on methanol, which is considered much more environmentally friendly.
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said that Icon is designed to be 24% more efficient than the international standard for new ships. When the Icon was designed eight years ago, LNG was “the new fuel of the new century for any ship.”
