Holland America Line plans to increase the number of energy-saving measures used on its ships.
Carnival Corporation – which owns HAL – has identified 140 ways to save fuel. These will be tested before being rolled out across the company’s brands, as soaring oil prices and environmental issues continue to put pressure on the sector.
The measures include reducing speeds, harnessing waste heat generated by engines, and using silicon paint on ship hulls.
For the last few years HAL has cut fuel used by its ships by an average 2% a year.
Senior vice-president of fleet operations Dan Grausz said more funds have been allocated next year to reduce this further.
The cruiseline has begun educating crew and customers on how to be more energy efficient on board and reviewed itineraries to reduce ship speeds. It is developing software to optimise the balance of ships, which can affect speed and water resistance.
He said: “We are working on every angle, more than in the past. The biggest initative is reducing cruise ship speeds. We are thinking intelligently about the sequence we go in and out of ports so we do not have to have a 20-knot itinerary and can do 18 knots.
“We intend to continue to find new ways to save fuel to see if we can reduce this [fuel use] by more than 2%.”
He added: “The reality is that in three years’ time I will be telling you about 30 more initiatives and finding more ideas.”
Grausz said cruiselines did not have “their heads in the sand” when it came to the environment.
“I make no apologies for this industry because I think we have done everything we can at this point to move the process forward and we will continue to [do so],” he said.