Written by Ishita Srivastava Dailymail.Com
03:03 January 28, 2024, updated 07:45 January 28, 2024
- Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas set sail today on a seven-day voyage around Caribbean islands before returning to Miami
- Despite claims that the LNG used is better than traditional marine fuel, environmentalists believe the ship poses a high risk of methane emissions.
- Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, the second largest contributor to climate warming after carbon dioxide.
The world’s largest cruise ship has begun its seven-day maiden voyage from Port Miami with almost the entire population of a small city on board.
Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas set sail today on a seven-day voyage around the Caribbean islands before returning to Miami.
The $2 billion ship will sail approximately 1,200 feet (365 meters) from bow to stern and has 20 decks, 2,350 crew members, 2,805 staterooms and room for 7,600 passengers. .
The ship also features a 55-foot artificial waterfall, 40 restaurants and bars, seven pools including a 40,000-gallon “lake,” 50 musicians and comedians, and a 16-piece orchestra. I’m proud.
The ship uses “environmentally friendly liquefied natural gas” as fuel. According to Reuters, Royal Caribbean said the Icon’s carbon efficiency is 24% higher than required by the International Maritime Organization.
Royal Caribbean also said that every kilowatt used on Icon of the Seas is “scrutinized for energy efficiency and emissions reduction.”
But despite claims that the fuel is better than traditional marine fuel, environmentalists believe the ships pose a high risk of methane emissions.
According to the International Clean Transportation Council, methane emissions in the form of “methane slips” from LNG-fueled ships are contributing to climate change.
Methane slip occurs when vessels such as the Icon use low-pressure dual-fuel engines that tend to leak methane into the atmosphere during the combustion process.
“This is a step in the wrong direction,” explained Brian Comer, head of the ICCT ocean program.
“Using LNG as a marine fuel is estimated to increase lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by over 120% compared to marine diesel oil.”
A 2024 study funded by ICCT estimated that cruise ship engines have an average methane slip rate of 6.4%, which is higher than the IMO assumption of 3.5%.
According to the NASA Global Climate Change website, methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and is the second largest cause of climate warming after carbon dioxide.
An estimated 60% of today’s methane emissions are due to human activities.
But the Icon will sail the Caribbean from Miami throughout the year, with its itineraries featuring “idyllic destinations” and a perfect day stop at CocoCay, an “award-winning private island” in the Bahamas. So these concerns don’t seem to bother owners.
The ship was officially “christened” on Tuesday by World Cup winner Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates.
Messi headlined the event and “initiated” the traditional act of placing a soccer ball on top of the stands and smashing a champagne bottle against its bow. This act is said to bring good luck to the ship and its passengers.
The 36-year-old Argentine later called it a “privilege.”
“This is a great honor for me and I know what it means for the city of Miami and the whole world,” Messi said in Spanish. “Therefore, I name this ship Icon of the Seas.” God bless you and all who sail with her. ”
Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bailey added: “We have built the biggest and deadliest ship on the planet.” We’re really excited when we introduce a new class of ship, but we’re even more excited when it does really well. ”