Asia/Pacific News
Australian Cruise Operators Address Local Emission Fears
Australian cruise operators Cruise Eden and Carnival Australia are seeking to reassure residents around the Port of Eden that their health and safety has not been compromised because of berthed cruise ships, local media reports.
Fears among the local residents' association first rose after a parliamentary inquiry found that air and noise pollution from cruise ships at the White Bay Cruise Terminal had been making locals sick.
"We don’t believe that the volume of cruise ships currently coming in to Eden, along with the fact that our current cruise ships anchor and run tenders, and never stay longer than a day, poses an environmental or toxic hazard issue for the community of Eden and the wider Sapphire Coast,” said Cruise Eden coordinator Natalie Godward.
Carnival Australia representative David Jones also added that air monitoring in Sydney showed that cruise ships were operating well within current air quality requirements.
"In addition Carnival Australia has committed to a multi-million investment in advanced exhaust cleansing 'scrubber' technology on its Australian based ships which will further improve air quality," he said.
However, the local residents' association said that it was advocating for shore power, which would eliminate most of the present problems.
Earlier this month, New South Wales Premier Mike Baird also made cruise ship emissions part of his party's re-election campaign, having promised to impose a 0.10 percent sulfur cap on marine fuel used by berthed cruise ships if re-elected.
