Cruise ships eight times the size of the Titanic to set sail, new industry report reveals
New report reveals that, if ships continue to grow, the biggest in 2050 could amount to a 345,000 gross tonnage, making them almost eight times bigger than the Titanic
Today's biggest cruise ships are twice as large as they were in 2000, according to a new Transport & Environment (T&E) report.
The report found that, if ships continue to grow at this rate, the biggest in 2050 could amount to a 345,000 gross tonnage, making them almost eight times bigger than the Titanic.
T&E said rapid growth in cruise holidays and increase in cruise ship sizes came at a significant environmental cost, and called on cruise liners to invest in green technologies to reduce their impact on the planet and air pollution.
In January 2024, the world's largest cruise ship to date, the Icon of the Seas, was launched. The floating city contains 40 restaurants, seven swimming pools and can carry 7,600 passengers. It is longer than 15 blue whales and is five times bigger than the Titanic.
Inesa Ulichina, sustainable shipping officer at T&E, said: "Today's cruisezillas make the Titanic look like a small fishing boat. How much bigger can these giants get? The cruise business is the fastest growing tourism sector and its emissions are quickly getting out of control.
"The only green and scalable solution for decarbonising maritime activities is e-fuels. Cruising is a luxury business and operators must take responsibility for their climate impact. If they want to avoid becoming increasingly unwanted visitors, they must clean up their act."
A recent T&E study found that green e-fuels could power almost 4 per cent of European shipping in 2030.