CLIA’s Cruise Investment Plan for Europe, presented at SMM 2024 in Hamburg in September 2024

CLIA also hosted a panel discussion on the European Cruise Investment Plan which we commissioned earlier this year from DNV and Ricardo.

This study aims to provide the knowledge base for the investments that will be needed to decarbonize the cruise sector in Europe. The study is assessing the current and near-term decarbonization technologies, mapping cruise vessel operations, and assessing the scalability and investment requirements for the cruise industry to meet the Fit for 55 regulatory obligations and achieve the objective of net zero emissions by 2050. 

The session was introduced with a presentation by Tim Scarbrough, Ricardo, outlining the preliminary findings of the study.

The presentation was followed by a discussion moderated by Julie Green, CLIA’s Deputy Director General in Europe, to explore some of these initial findings with expert panelists: Tom Strang, Chair of CLIA Sustainability Advisory Committee, Senior Vice President, Maritime Affairs, Carnival, Mathieu Petiteau, Newbuilding Director and R&D, Ponant, Moises Blanco Rios, Policy Officer in DG RTS, European Commission – Clean Transport Transitions, Gijs Streppel, Programme Manager Sustainability, Meyer Werft, and Christian Allgeier, Head of BMDV Working Group on Alternative Marine Propulsion Systems.

Panelists discussed the key challenge faced by the growing demand across maritime for access to new alternative fuels – and emphasized the need for more production as well as the introduction of port infrastructure for bunkering of these fuels. CLIA’s Cruise Investment Plan for Europe provides an analysis of the geographic distribution of fuel bunkering, which will be important for planning bunkering infrastructure for future fuel.

The discussion also covered the progress being made towards the introduction of zero emission vessels and the audience heard perspectives from cruise lines, shipyards and government representatives on how they are approaching this challenge and aiming to achieve this ambition.

Finally, panellists also discussed funding opportunities and how operators can access funds in support of innovation projects that will help drive the maritime transition.