Cruise Ships: What price for good times and big profits?

New San Francisco Cruise Terminal Moving Forward

By Teri Shore, Bluewater Network

Cruise ships sail into the most scenic waters on earth, giving passengers splendid views of skylines, remote coastlines and wildlife. In port, towns and cities embrace the throngs of cruisers eager to shop, eat and explore. Yet each of these large vessels is a floating city that has the potential to pollute.
With exploding numbers of luxury liners taking to the seas, the threats to water, air and marine life are growing. So environmentalists are raising the question: What environmental and economic price will we pay for the luxury of lavish holidaymaking?

In a typical one-week voyage, an average-size cruise ship produces 50 tons of trash, 210,000 gallons of sewage, 35,000 gallons of oil-contaminated water and a million gallons of “gray water” from sinks, showers, galleys and laundry facilities which contain metals, chlorine and fecal coliform. Most of the wastewater is dumped into the ocean.

Worldwide, the cruise industry is on the move, with 37 giant ships equipped with casinos, shopping malls and non-stop buffets being constructed during the next three years. In San Francisco Bay, a proposed new cruise ship terminal is expected to double cruise ship visits from 40 to more than 100 each year.
Recently, cruise lines announced plans to drop anchor in Santa Barbara and the Monterey Bay Sanctuary, home to the last of the sea otters. In response to environmental outcry, Prince Cruise Lines promised not to discharge any type of dirty water or waste into the protected sanctuary waters on its first voyage into Monterey. This commitment could go far in setting new standards for cruise ship operations. But, so far, it’s a voluntary, one-time offer.

Unfortunately, the cruise industry has a history of polluting the seas. From 1993 to 1998, cruise ships were responsible for 87 confirmed cases of illegal discharges of oil, garbage, and hazardous wastes into US waters. Twelve of these cases occurred in California. In a more recent example, Carnival Cruise Lines dumped 40,000 gallons of wastewater each week into the Port of Los Angeles during the first five months of 2001 after agreeing voluntarily to no discharges in state waters.

Air pollution is also a big problem. Most cruise ships burn the dirtiest types of diesel fuel without any air quality controls. The proposed San Francisco Cruise Terminal is projected to generate more smog and soot than allowed by local standards. Bluewater Network has called for use of cleaner fuels and technologies on the ships to reduce the air pollution. The city is expected to address these and other issues in the final Environmental Impact Report, due before the planning commission on May 9.

Cruise ships also carry ballast water from distant shores that is often discharged into state waters without proper treatment, releasing invasive species that infest our coastline and disrupt local fisheries. These large ships can also run down whales and other marine mammals. Last summer, a cruise ship killed a pregnant humpback whale while steaming into Glacier Bay in Alaska.

Besides harming the environment, cruise ships take an economic toll. All but a few are foreign-flagged vessels run by international corporations that pay no taxes nor follow US labor laws. They have little accountability to local communities.

For example, in Alaska, cruise lines have begun to take locals out of the profit loop entirely by operating their own buses, lodges and excursions.

In the tiny town of Yakutat, cruise ships sail so close to the Hubbard Glacier that pupping seals are disturbed when captains sound their horns in an attempt get ice to calve into the sea. Much to the cruise industry’s alarm, the community has passed a head tax to fund environmental monitoring. So far, the cruise lines have refused to pay.

In Hawaii, retailers have found that cruise passengers may crowd their stores, but often buy nothing more than a key chain.

And unlike other industries, cruise lines are allowed to use our oceans freely as dumping grounds, fouling the very pristine waters that make their product so attractive, and profitable.

Cruise lines must be held accountable for both the economic and environmental impacts of their operations. Otherwise, we are paying far too high a price for good times and big profits for a chosen few.

As a result of legislation passed by Bluewater Network, a statewide cruise ship task force is now studying the need for regulations to protect our coastal waters from cruise ship pollution. We are also awaiting action from the Environmental Protection Agency on a petition filed two years ago asking for national cruise ship environmental standards. If necessary, we will file lawsuits to force government agencies to act.