On the latest scientific findings on the sustainability of the cruise industry

We are launching a new project at Gliese Foundation: We will be sharing our comments on academic studies related to sustainable issues related to the cruise industry. No other sector in the maritime industry has become as polemic as the cruise industry in recent times since there have emerged criticisms to its environmental impact, its impact on crowded touristic destinations, and, more recently, on the way, some cruise companies managed the COVID-19 pandemic onboard their vessels.

We are not against the cruise industry; on the contrary, we believed that sustainable cruises have a relevant role in the tourist industry's future. Besides, we have also observed how the industry has equipped its vessels with the latest technologies to cope with environmental challenges at sea, making it the sector with some of the most advanced vessels. The reasons are obvious: cruises, contrary to other boxships, dry-bulk, or tankers, transport passengers, not dry or liquid cargo, and provide B2C not B2B services; both reasons force them to aim for the highest standards and be transparent since they have the final consumer in front of them at all times. And even if they accomplished their goals, the demand will always be higher and higher, forcing the cruise industry to never-ending efforts to improve. That dynamic complexity is what we found fascinating, and the reason why we consider that it deserves continuous attention, attention focused on the latest scientific findings in the field.

We will be sharing our comments to those academic papers on the cruise industry. Some of them may present negative findings for the cruise industry, while others may present positive results; such an inclination of the conclusions is secondary to us. What it would be relevant for us is not the stand that the papers take about the cruise industry, but the objectivity and main findings that the papers provide. In each case, we will provide the link to the journal or website from where the paper can be downloaded (if the paper is publicly available) or requested or purchased (if it is not publicly available). The fact that we support sustainable cruises will neither bias our comments to each of the papers nor the papers' selection we will be commenting on.

Gliese Foundation

October 17th, 2020