In 2016, the company set specific targets to reduce its environmental footprint. They have met or exceeded all of these goals. This is with the exception of the sustainable seafood sourcing target, which was impacted by the pandemic.
Richard Fain, CEO of Royal Caribbean Group said Sustainability is a core area for our business, and this report reflects our successes and challenges over the past year. “While I’m proud of the progress we have achieved, the importance of this area has grown exponentially. Consistent with our mantra of continuous improvement, we have significantly expanded our aspirations in this critical area and are getting even more aggressive goals for the coming years.”
The cruise groups follow others in the industry that are becoming more environmentally friendly.
The report also revealed the company’s short-term goals:
- Its newest ship, Icon-Class (expected to launch in 2023) will use cleaner-burning liquefied natural gas and fuel cell technology to reduce ship emissions.
- 90% of freshwater will be produced on board in order to not deplete local resources
- A commitment to source 90% of wild-caught seafood and 75% of farmed seafood, which is a first for the cruise industry.
The company is working to develop a new set of targets around the elimination of single-use plastics and waste management.
