Environment

We are fully committed to playing our part in addressing climate change and promoting ocean biodiversity. We are determined to accelerate our transition toward net zero emissions greenhouse gas by 2050 from our marine operations. We work closely with leading technology companies, shipyards, and fuel providers to push the boundaries of what is possible.

Pathway to decarbonisation

We are on track to meet the IMO (International Maritime Organization) carbon intensity goal of a 40% reduction from 2008 levels ahead of the 2030 milestone. In 2023 we already achieved 37.8% reduction. Since decarbonizing marine operations is one of our main priorities our long term goal is to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions for our fleet by 2050.

Improving operational efficiency

Many sustainability measures are, in fact, simply good business sense because they reduce costs in addition to our environmental footprint. Energy efficiency is an obvious example of that, with LED lighting and heat recovery systems having that dual impact. Anti-fouling paint reduces drag, and lower speeds and trim optimisation make the voyage more comfortable and reduce fuel consumption.
Digitalization is key to success, we continuously monitoring thousands of raw data points on the position, speed, weather, engine load, flow meters, fuel consumption, torque meters, and all other on-board equipment which can be connected to a central data collector, allowing continuous analysis and onboard adjustments to maximise efficiency.

Minimising local pollutants

We are a guest in all the ports we visit and strive to minimise our impact on local communities and their environment, particularly in the area of air emissions.

Reducing emissions to air: Connecting to shore power enables us to turn off our ships’ engines and connect to the local electrical grid to run our onboard systems. With electricity travelling to the ship through a specially designed transformer at the dock, this process prevents emissions produced from our onboard engines, improving local air quality as well as reducing noise and vibration levels – benefitting both the environment and the surrounding communities. Wherever we are involved in building and financing new terminals, we ensure the designs take account of shore power requirements – current examples being the new terminal developments in Barcelona and Miami.

Creating freshwater: Every day, our ships use desalination technologies like reverse osmosis to convert vast volumes of seawater into clean drinking water.

Our most modern ships can produce up to three millionlitres of freshwater in a single day. In 2023, 87.2% of all freshwater consumed (7.4 million cubic metres) was produced onboard our ships for use as drinking water as well as for cooking, cleaning, and in the laundry. As many of the ports we call into can experience periods of water scarcity, our goal is to minimise the amount we take from shore by continuing to increase the share of water produced onboard.

Treating our wastewater: All our ships have wastewater treatment systems installed and treated wastewater is discharged in accordance with strict international regulations. Fourteen ships have advanced wastewater treatment systems and four of these meet the very highest discharge standards, known as the ‘Baltic Standard’, allowing them to treat and discharge water back into the most sensitive areas in which we operate.

Treating ballast water: To avoid transporting contaminants from one ocean to another, and potentially threatening local ecosystems, all our ships have a ballast water treatment system with filtration and UV treatment. Our fleet continues to meet all the requirements of the 2004 Ballast Water Management Convention regulations.

Protecting the biodiversity of our oceans

Safeguarding the health and biodiversity of the sea is crucial and we are committed to the preservation of marine and coastal habitats. In 2023, we demonstrated this in a number of ways.

Marine conservation on Ocean Cay: In July, the Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve was formally designated a ‘Hope Spot’ by Mission Blue, the non-profit organisation promoting the protection of marine ecosystems. Ocean Cay joins Mission Blue’s global network of 154 Hope Spots, places recognised as critical to ocean health.
 
Bridge Officer Whale and Dolphin Training: In 2023, MSC Cruises partnered with marine conservation charity ORCA to deliver a comprehensive ship strike mitigation programme for deck officers to reduce the likelihood of collisions with whales, dolphins, and porpoises in oceans around the world. By the end of 2023 226 MSC Cruises’ officers had been trained, and any new joiners goes through the course during their familiarization period.

DNA sampling and analysis: We announced an innovative partnershipwith NatureMetrics, the pioneering nature intelligence and environmental DNA specialists. Three vessels collected eDNA samples from seawater while operating in international waters in the North Atlantic.

SUSTAINABILITY REPORTS

Browse our Sustainability reports and find out our goals and actions.

2023 Sustainability report
2022 Sustainability report
2021 Sustainability report
2020 Sustainability report
2019 Sustainability report