The UK ferry and cruise industries play a key role in the movement of people and goods around the globe.  Ferry companies carry more than 40 million passengers a year and provide a vital service in the movement of freight by sea. Cruise lines predict a record 1.65 milllion British holidaymakers will take a cruise holiday in 2010.

Travel by sea has opened up many opportunities that didn’t exist before but by its nature, it has an impact on the environment.  Many businesses rely on freight transported by sea and people want to holiday, so the challenge to ferry companies and cruise lines is to protect the environment, minimise negative impacts, improve positive impacts and support sustainable tourism while meeting the increasing demand for travel.

PSA cruise line and ferry members are committed to operating within a comprehensive set of global environmental standards governed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).  The IMO sets strict regulations and guidelines for the protection of the marine environment.  PSA members not only comply with these standards and other European Union directives and national and regional requirements, but are proactive in advancing these standards.

PSA members are committed to:

• Designing, constructing and operating vessels so as to minimise their impact on the environment
• Developing improved technologies to exceed current requirements for protection of the environment
• Expanding waste reduction strategies to include reuse and recycling to the maximum extent
• Ensuring the collection and transfer of hazardous waste meets the highest standards
• Investigating ways of working with partners in the UK and overseas to improve sustainability in the supply chain
• Investigating ways to support communities, whether financially or in kind
• Working to fully identifying our carbon footprint and looking at measures to reduce it

Below are examples where a number of PSA members are making a positive contribution to the environment:

• In conjunction with ports and local energy suppliers, ships switch where possible from their own power systems to land-based plants to reduce fuel consumption and emissions while in port
• Excess heat produced by ship’s engines is channelled back into the vessel to provide, for example, hot water, heating and making fresh water
• Solar panels placed on board produce energy which can be utilised within the ship
• Marine conservation – support is provided to a number of organisations such as Oceanopolis, a scientific body which observes marine mammals, and SeaSearch which involves volunteer divers helping to monitor the seas and marine life around the UK coastal waters
• A number of cruise lines have a dedicated environmental officer assigned to each ship to manage its overall environmental programme