17 Mein Schiff Relax is also the first LNG-powered ship in the TUI Cruises fleet, taking the brand another step closer to reaching its decarbonisation goals. The company, together with TUI Group brand Marella Cruises, has committed to climate reduction targets validated by the Science-based Targets initiative (known more commonly as SBTi). Thus it aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 27.5 per cent by 2030 (compared to a 2019 baseline). Further goals include sailing its first climate-neutral cruises by the same year and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest. “We’re investing in multiple areas to achieve these goals,” says Meier. “Solutions such as shore power, newly designed propellers, and hull paints that reduce drag have already significantly lowered our emissions. We’re also using data platforms, artificial intelligence and other digital tools to optimise route planning and boost energy efficiency onboard our ships. Every small change we make takes us closer to carbon-neutral cruising.” To make major decarbonisation progress, however, cruise lines must transition from fossil fuels to lowemission alternatives, says Meier. TUI Cruises is already preparing for this switch by forming partnerships with fuel providers, trialling biodiesel and installing dual-fuel engines on its ships. “Mein Schiff 7, which debuted in 2024, was one of the world’s first cruise ships with a methanol-capable propulsion system and we’re working with Hamburgbased energy company MB Energy (formerly Mabanaft) to set up a green methanol supply in Germany,” says Meier. “Both InTUItion-class ships will initially run on LNG, but will be able to switch to bio-LNG or E-LNG as soon as they’re available at scale.” TUI Cruises marked another important step on the road to climate-neutral cruising in 2025. At the end of July, Mein Schiff Relax was supplied with 1,875 cubic metres of bioLNG for the first time – as part of a shipto-ship bunkering operation via a barge. Building the infrastructure and supply chains for the large-scale production and distribution of low-emission fuels will require cross-sector collaboration. “The cruise industry is a front-runner in developing, testing and implementing innovative environmental solutions, but we can’t cut emissions or solve the fuel challenge on our own,” says Meier. “We must all work together to decarbonise the shipping industry. “Cruise operators are clearly committed to investing in low-emission fuels – many of us have already built (or are building) ships that are technically capable of using them – but we need fuel providers to make them commercially available. With widespread access to low-emission fuels, we could hit our decarbonisation target before 2050.” Ports must play a role in decarbonising the cruise industry too, says Meier. Like many other cruise brands, TUI Cruises has equipped most of its fleet with shore power connectors, but it is unable to use them in many European ports due to a lack of infrastructure. “Connecting to shoreside electricity enables us to switch off our engines From left, Ralf Pastleitner, who is responsible for public policy at TUI Group, joined Jens Gieseke, Member of European Parliament, Wybcke Meier and Dr Reinhard Lüken, managing director of the German Shipyards Association, at the policy breakfast KEYNOTE “ We must all work together to decarbonise the shipping industry”
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