162 FEATURE Sustainable itineraries With concerns about sustainability being raised in cruise destinations around the world, itinerary planners are being confronted with the need to choose ports that can support a cruise visit with minimal impact. Alex Smith finds out more Today’s passenger ships are increasingly being designed and operated with environmental sustainability front and centre. From shore power technology and LNG-powered engines to the elimination of single-use plastics, operators are striving to reduce the impact of their vessels on destinations. But to what extent does this pursuit of environmental sustainability affect the destinations cruise operators sail to? Concerns have been raised about the ability of many of the world’s most popular cruise ports to sustain the number of visitors they receive during the peak season, with the industry’s growth showing no sign of slowing down. On the other hand, there are also worries about the effect cruise ships may have when visiting more remote destinations, where disruption to a fragile ecosystem could have serious consequences. Today’s itinerary planners now must give serious thought to these concerns when deciding which ports to visit. “In the past, the relationship was simply between the shipowner and the port,” said Nikos Mertzandidis, vice president of ports and destinations and taxation at Cruise Lines International Association, at Seatrade Cruise Global. “Now, everyone has an opinion, from supranational bodies like the European Union down to the person who lives next door to the port. Everybody has an influence, and we must take those into account. The ship may be technologically advanced, but if the port doesn’t have the necessary facilities, it becomes more difficult for the whole product to be sustainable.” Therefore, itinerary planners must carefully evaluate each port for its suitability from a sustainability standpoint. One criterion a port must fulfil is having the correct infrastructure and sustainability practices to handle a cruise call. “We assess each destination for waste management, recycling and shore power availability, prioritising calls at destinations with robust infrastructure” says Felix Hamer, sustainability strategy manager for HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions). “Where facilities fall short, we work with the “ If the port doesn’t have the necessary facilities, it becomes more difficult for the whole product to be sustainable” Nikos Mertzandidis CLIA
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