Carnival Corp. & plc today signed agreements with two maritime reclamation and recycling specialists to responsibly dismantle and recycle the retired Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Inspiration in Turkey.
The retirement of those two ships - others are being sold for continued operations - is part of Carnival's strategy for a phased resumption of cruising with specific ships and brands.
Since pausing its guest cruise operations in mid-March in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the company has taken significant actions to reduce operating expenses, including accelerating the retirement of ships from its fleet in fiscal year 2020 and delaying new ship arrivals.
"Our highest responsibility and top priorities are compliance, environmental protection, and the health, safety and well-being of our guests, the communities we visit and our crew," said Bill Burke, chief maritime officer for Carnival Corp.
"That commitment extends to our cruise ships, starting from the moment a ship becomes part of our fleet and continuing all the way through to its retirement. In addition to limiting our vessels' impact on the environment throughout their service time in our fleet, recycling our retired ships following the European Ship Recycling Regulation ensures we are applying the highest global standards and contributing to a sustainable cruise industry."
Carnival Corp. worked with the environmental non-profit Bellona Foundation and the specialized ship recycling experts Sea2Cradle to formulate an approach to dismantling and recycling the ships. The goal is to reuse, reclaim and recycle as much as possible.
The corporation selected Turkey-based EGE CELIK and SIMSEKLER based on their track records of compliance with key national and international environmental agreements and regulations. Both recycling companies are certified by the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships. They are also strictly required to adhere to a complex matrix of global standards set forth by the European Union, International Maritime Organization, International Labour Organization and the Basel Convention multilateral environmental agreement.
The recycling companies will formulate a Ship Recycle Plan for each vessel that goes beyond what is required. Each plan will include a complete inventory of hazardous and regulated materials and the procedures planned for safely removing and processing the materials in an environmentally friendly way. Once these materials are safely removed and processed, the companies will begin dismantling each ship.
Ships will be stripped of machinery, electronic equipment, glass, wood and other materials that can be directly upcycled for reuse in new ships, used in ship repair or repurposed for other applications. Steel and metal scraps will be salvaged and recycled for direct use or be sent to the mill for producing other products and goods. Working on behalf of Carnival Corporation, Sea2Cradle will supervise ship dismantling and recycling at the demolition yards throughout the entire process.
"Our experienced supervisors will be present at the yard during the entire recycling process, to ensure the recycling plan is adhered to and that all health, safety and environmental measures are followed," said Wouter Rozenveld, director of Sea2Cradle. "We will also see to it that non-recyclable materials are being disposed of and treated properly, and we will remain on-site until the last piece of steel is brought to the smelter to produce new products."
Sea2Cradle estimates that a significant percentage of the ship materials from both vessels will be reused, reclaimed or recycled.
Carnival Corp. & plc operates nine cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, Costa Cruises, Cunard and three international brands.
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