Why Are Cruise Ships Bad For The Environment

Cruise ships generate significant quantities of wastes that the industry disposes of with surprisingly little regulation.

Why are cruise ships bad for the environment. Sewage Discharge to Sea. Cruise ships large tankers and bulk cargo carriers use a huge amount of ballast water which is often taken on in the coastal waters in one region after ships discharge wastewater or unload cargo and discharged at the next port of call wherever more cargo is loaded. In fact every persons carbon footprint on a cruise is about three times as high as it would be on land.

Even while at dock cruise ships often run dirty diesel engines to provide electrical power to passengers and crew. Tourists sleep and eat on cruise ships which means very little is spent in the local economy and this is a problem across the world. Cruise ships generate multiple waste streams that make it into the ocean or air.

Cruise ships are also responsible for significant air pollution from the dirty fuel they burn which can lead to serious human health problems especially in port communities. When it comes to the environment cruising has a bad reputation. Ballast water discharges by ships can have a negative impact on the marine environment.

The impact of cruise ships on the environment is an important issue that needs to be addressed in order to mitigate damage to the surrounding ecosystem. Look below the surface and you come across all sorts of horror stories. Cruise ships which are often hundreds of feet long and carry thousands of passengers and crew have been compared to floating cities.

Cruise ships have been accused of being as polluting as a million cars. Cruise lines some of which have ships rivaling the size of small cities are responding to this increased growth of tourism and many are committed to becoming more environmentally friendly. It should be noted that larger cruise ships have capacities of up to 8000 passengers.

For example the cruise ship industry is not subject to the same. They deprive local economies. When you hop onto a cruise your carbon footprint rises.