Metamorphosis - Cruise Ship Portal

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When the environmental authorities say “jump”, the cruise industry usually replies: “how high?” But in the case of the US state of Alaska’s wastewater discharge standards, the cruise industry’s definition of high is not high enough. Alaska has the strictest standards in the world for wastewater quality at the point of discharge, particularly in regard to effluent limits for ammonia, copper, nickel and zinc. The Alaskan statute, introduced three years ago, originally decreed that ships cruising in Alaskan waters had to meet these standards by this year, but a panel discussion of marine technologists, vendors and scientists held in Alaska’s capital of Juneau in February 2009, conducted by the Alaskan Department of Environmental Conservation, revealed the cruise industry simply did not have the technology or means to meet these standards in the timeframe. However, a bill has been approved that will, pending a signature from the state’s governor, give cruise lines up to an additional five years to meet the standards. While many cruise lines are already committed to developing wastewater treatment systems to comply with the standards, it is unknown whether even the 2015 target will be met, the consequences of which could see major cruise lines pulling out of Alaskan waters. Obstacles and issues William Morani, vice-president of environmental compliance for Holland America Line (HAL), says that meeting the Alaska standards in the near term is, in short, impossible. “It’s like saying, ‘we want you to find a cure for cancer, and you’ve got a couple of years to do it’,” he says. The main issue with the Alaskan law is to do with the targets set for reducing metals in cruise ship wastewater. Wastewater generated on a cruise ship inevitably has higher levels of ammonium and metals than that of a shore-based facility due to the conservation methods used on board, such as low-flow shower heads and vacuum toilet flushing systems. “It’s a catch-22,” says Morani. “You try to conserve a resource at one end, and it catches you at the other.” The Alaskan statute has taken a hard line with reducing metals content, setting targets that are well below those for land-based facilities. The challenge for the industry is to come up with a technology that treats the great volumes (up to 1,000m²) of effluent generated daily by a large cruise vessel to meet the targets. But to date, not even a landbased system exists that can treat wastewater with the initial quality of that found on a cruise ship to the standards deemed acceptable by Alaskan law. “It’s like setting a standard that does not exist,” says Morani. Insight > Environmental issues High water mark The cruise industry has been given more time to meet Alaska’s high wastewater discharge standards, but is the new deadline of 2015 realistic? Holland America Line’s William Morani and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines’ Richard Pruitt tell Jodie McLeod how new technologies could provide the answer. Richard Pruitt, director of environmental programmes at Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL), argues that even if a suitable land-based technology had been invented, the process of adapting that technology to the unique ship environment – where space, stability and even crewing set-ups are a far cry from the spacious and predictable conditions on land – would take two years or more. “These aren’t short timelines,” says Pruitt, adding that the duration of developing the technology increases the risks for all involved. “You might take a chance [on a system] only to find out three years from now it doesn’t meet the latest standards, and then you have to start over again.” High costs also add to the risk. To date, RCCL, which includes cruise lines Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity and Azamara, has spent in excess of $100 million on advanced wastewater treatment systems. The most limiting factor for developing the technology is space. “Sewage treatment facilities [on land] usually have very large tanks and ponds, which give them the luxury of letting the water sit there and clarify; but we don’t have that luxury,” says Pruitt. “We’re trying to get done in six or eight hours what land-based facilities have days to do. We have to figure out how to turbo-charge the process.” World Cruise Industry Review | www.worldcruiseindustryreview.com 93
Ship Hull 178x124mm update 2.qxp 12-02-2010 13:00 Pagina 1 SHIP HULL PERFORMANCE TECHNOLOGY Ecospeed ship hull performance technology lasts the lifetime of the vessel. The need for full repaints during future drydockings is eliminated. An impermeable and extremely tough coating is combined with an underwater cleaning system keeping the hull roughness at an optimum level and resulting in a major saving in fuel. a technology Phone: +32 3 213 5318 Fax: +32 3 213 5321 Stationary Emissions Control SINOx® Catalyst Technology for Marine Emissions Control � SCR Catalysts & Systems (NOx Reduction) � Oxidation Catalysts (CO, VOC Reduction) � Engineering Design & Commissioning � Global Aftersales Service � Laboratory & Test Facilities � Research & Development � ISO 9001 & ISO 14001 Approved � 180 SINOx® SCR Units in over 150 Vessels Johnson Matthey Catalysts (Germany) GmbH Stationary Emissions Control Bahnhofstraße 43, D-96257 Redwitz, Germany T: +49 95 74 81 879 sinox-systems@matthey.com www.jmsec.com or www.sinox.com info@ecospeed.be www.ecospeed.be Ecospeed is a 100% non-toxic technology and is guaranteed for 10 years. Its surface texture will improve over time with regular inwater hull maintenance. CRUISE SHIP TALLINK - MS VICTORIA INSTALLED AND RUNNING WITH SINOX® SCR SINCE 2004
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2010 Volume 1 £5.95 €8.00 $8.95
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Contents 33 St Croix, your port of
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The Intelligence > World Cruise Ind
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Market intelligence > Future growth
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Market intelligence > Industry outl
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1912-2010 PROUD TO SERVE
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People > The big interview general
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Special report The cost of luxury W
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The port of Valletta in Malta exten
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Company insight > Ports & destinati
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FREDERIKSTED ST. CROIX A GREAT CRUI
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Grenada received its first cruise s
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PHOTO : Denis VINSON-CORBIS - © Co
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Rais Hassan Saadi Bldg., Mankhool R
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Page 89 and 90: Insight > Safety at sea Safer seas
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Metamorphosis - Cruise Ship Portal

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