How Much Does a Cruise Ship Pollute?

By Anna Duncan

Cruise ships are often thought of as a luxurious and eco-friendly way to vacation, but do they really have a negative impact on environmental pollution? The answer is yes, unfortunately.

Cruise ships emit large amounts of air pollutants and release untreated sewage into the ocean.

Cruise ships often use diesel fuel to power their ship, which generates large amounts of air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. These pollutants can have serious health effects if breathed in over long periods of time. Cruise ships also emit carbon dioxide (CO2), which is one of the main greenhouse gases responsible for climate change.

Cruise ships also produce large amounts of waste that can be harmful to marine life. Sewage from cruise ships can contain bacteria, viruses and other contaminants that can harm marine life if released untreated into the ocean. In some cases, cruise ships may even discharge wastewater containing toxic chemicals such as heavy metals, oil and grease directly into the ocean.

What Can be Done?

There are some steps that cruise lines can take to reduce their environmental impact:

  • Use cleaner fuel sources: Cruise lines should switch to using cleaner fuel sources such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) or solar power instead of diesel.
  • Reduce emissions: Cruise lines should install equipment that reduces emissions from their exhausts.
  • Treat wastewater: Cruise lines should ensure that all wastewater is properly treated before being released into the ocean.

Conclusion:

Cruise ships do indeed have an impact on environmental pollution. They emit air pollutants and release untreated sewage into the ocean which can harm marine life. However, there are steps that cruise lines can take to reduce their environmental impact such as using cleaner fuel sources, reducing emissions and treating wastewater before releasing it into the ocean.

Conclusion – How Much Does a Cruise Ship Pollute?

Cruise ships have a large impact on environmental pollution through air pollutants emitted from diesel fuel used for propulsion and untreated sewage released into the ocean. Cruise lines can reduce this impact by switching to clean fuel sources, reducing emissions from exhausts and properly treating wastewater before releasing it into the oceans.