Americas News
2015 ECA Rules Blamed as Carnival Exits Norfolk, Baltimore
Carnival Cruise Lines (Carnival) has said it will not operate out of Norfolk, Virginia, or Baltimore, Maryland, for the 2014 season because of tightening environmental legislation set to come into force in 2015, local media has reported.
Legislation that came into effect on August 1, 2012 means vessels operating within the North American Emissions Control Area (ECA) currently must use a marine fuel with a sulfur content not exceeding 1.00 percent, a limit which drops to 0.10 percent in 2015.
"The 2015 North America Emission Control Area (ECA) requirements would significantly impact our fuel costs for operating cruises from Norfolk and many other ports around North America," said Spokesman Vance Gulliksen.
However Gulliksen noted that cruises from Norfolk have been "very successful," and the company "will evaluate all viable options to return to Norfolk in the future."
Carnival last month warned it would have to leave Baltimore over of the new environmental rules, with the state's governor, Martin O'Malley, said to have been pushing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a waiver from the rules.
Carnival will redeploy Carnival Glory from Norfolk to Miami, where the Florida port's location allows departing vessels to leave the ECA sooner.
