Skift Take
Carbon capture might be the most practical near-term route to decarbonising cruise ships, but it barely seems to be on the industry’s radar. Without collaboration and port infrastructure to offload CO₂, it risks staying a promising idea that never leaves the dock.
MSC Cruises, the third-largest cruise operator by passenger numbers, says it managed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in 2024.
The drop was small, but in an industry heavily reliant on fossil fuels, even a small dip is notable.
In its latest climate report, the company points to the success of a grab-bag of technical tweaks and digital strategies: real-time performance software to track every watt of energy on board; cleaner hulls, and AI-controlled heating and cooling systems.
A particularly important move: plugging ships into the grid while in port. Instead of idling on bunker fuel at the dock, the ships ran on electricity, a simple but potent change.
That shore-power uptake alone helped cut fuel use by about 16,000 tonnes and avoid roughly 50,000 tonnes of CO₂.
The efficiencies work, but they don’t scal
