DIARIO DEL PUERTO DOSSIER CRUCEROS - SEATRADE 2022 22 What are themain challenges the industry is facing? There have been many challenges facing the industry over the past two years, and they have been of a very diverse nature, changing with each stage of the pandemic and the market: we must not lose sight of the industry’s global outreach. However, I would like to point out that if there is one thing the industryhas shownover this period, it is its resilience, its capacity to reinvent itself and to seek newanswers to newquestions. It is true that I amnot objectivebecause I love this industry, but I know of few sectors that have this strength. The cruise sector’s commitment to sustainability is evident.What are themain advances made by the industry in this field? If I may, I would like to emphasize that it is not only a clear commitment; it is a total and absolute commitment. Even during the very tough times we have been going through, where operations were at a standstill and there was no revenue, cruise lines have continued to make a strong commitment to sustainability. Having said this, I will now share the most significant advances made by the industry as reported in the 2021 Annual Report on Environmental Technologies and Practices Inventory 2021, edited by Oxford Economics and published by CLIA at the end of last year. Firstly, cold ironing. According to the study, 82% of the ships in the fleet will either be shore power ready or will be configured to be able to add shore power in the future. In addition, 35% of the fleet in service (2.3% more than in 2020) is already equipped with the necessary technology to connect to the 14 ports around the world where this option is available. Secondly, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) will be the main propulsion source for 52% of newbuilds. Thirdly, intermsof exhaustgas scrubbing systems (EGCS), over 76% of the current fleet uses exhaust gas scrubbing systems that comply with (or exceed) atmospheric emission regulations. In addition, 94% of new non-LNG-fueled ships will incorporate EGCS. And fourthly, the report confirms that 100% of new builds will be fitted with advanced wastewater treatment systems (AWTS). At present, 74% of the fleet in service is equipped with these systems. In addition, you are currently workingwith the Spanish Stateowned Ports on this environmental approach.Why is this necessary? Cooperation and understanding between ports and cruise lines is essential: we are two sides of the same coin. That is why it is absolutely vital to engage in a process of dialogue and listening, especially at a time like now when major fuel-related developments are on the cards. Which sustainability actions, promoted by ports and cruise lines, would you like to highlight? There are different lines of action related to the aforementioned “Fit for 55” legislation package on electrification and the logistics process around the new fuels. We are also immersed in a global project that seeks to standardize the information that cruise ships must provide to estimate emissions when berthed, i.e., to reach a consensus on a common methodology for estimating these emissions. This project, which is being piloted over the next two years and will be extended to other fleets from 2024, is backed by the world’s main cruise ports, including Los Angeles, Seattle, Hamburg and Rotterdam, as well as Barcelona and Palma de Majorca. Finally, what do you expect from 2022? From a human perspective, naturally, my greatest wish is for the tragic situation in Ukraine to be brought to an immediate end and, of course, to completely overcome the pandemic that has caused so much suffering and resulted in the loss of thousands of lives. 2022 is a vital year on the road to full recovery. As such, we expect to recover almost 100% of capacity by August and, in a realistic scenario, to reach pre-pandemic passenger numbers in 2023. If there is one thing the industry has shown over this period, it is its resilience, its capacity to reinvent itself and to seek new answers to new questions
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