Royal Caribbean International's Symphony of the Seas is the
first in the maritime industry to successfully test and use a
biofuel blend in Barcelona to
reduce the ship's carbon emissions
MIAMI, Sept. 19,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, Royal Caribbean Group
(NYSE: RCL) laid important groundwork for the industry's
alternative fuel ambitions by completing over 12 consecutive weeks
of biofuel testing in Europe. The
company's steadfast pursuit to find lower-carbon energy solutions
is driven by its SEA the Future commitment to sustaining the
planet, energizing communities, and accelerating innovation. By
introducing methods that reduce emissions today, Royal Caribbean
Group is ultimately advancing the decarbonization of its
operations.
"This is a pivotal moment for Royal Caribbean Group's
alternative fuel journey," said Jason
Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group.
"Following our successful trial of biofuels this summer, we are one
step closer to bringing our vision for net-zero cruising to life.
As we strive to protect and promote the vibrant oceans we sail, we
are determined to accelerate innovation and improve how we deliver
vacation experiences responsibly."
Today, in Barcelona, Royal
Caribbean International's Symphony of the Seas became the
first ship in the maritime industry to successfully test and use a
biofuel blend in Barcelona to meet
part of her fuel needs. The company confirmed onboard technical
systems met operational standards, without quality or safety
concerns, demonstrating the biofuel blend is a reliable "drop in"
supply of lower emission energy that ships can use to set sail
across Europe and beyond. The
tests across Europe also provided
valuable data to understand the availability and scalability of
biofuel in the region.
"Royal Caribbean's success is a clear example of how commitment
to innovation makes possible the development of solutions to
decarbonise the maritime sector. In this case, it involves the
cruise sector and focuses on biofuels, an area in which the Port of
Barcelona is already working to
become an energy hub, producing and supplying zero carbon fuels,
such as green hydrogen and ammonia, and of other almost zero-carbon
alternative fuels, such as methanol, biofuels or synthetic fuels.
Innovation and collaboration between ports and shipping companies
is key to accelerate the decarbonisation of maritime transport,"
said the President of the Port of Barcelona, Lluís Salvadó.
The company began testing biofuels last year and expanded the
trail this summer in Europe to two
additional ships — Royal Caribbean International's Symphony of
the Seas and Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Apex. The
sustainable biofuel blends tested were produced by purifying
renewable raw materials like waste oils and fats and combining them
with fuel oil to create an alternative fuel that is cleaner and
more sustainable. The biofuel blends tested are accredited by
International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC), a
globally recognized organization that ensures sustainability of
biofuels and verifies reductions of related emissions.
With Symphony of the Seas departing from the Port of
Barcelona and Celebrity
Apex departing from the Port of Rotterdam, both ships accomplished multiple
sailings using biofuel and contributed critical data on the fuel's
capabilities. These results will help accelerate Royal Caribbean
Group's plans to continue testing the use of different types of
biofuels on upcoming European sailings this fall. The company is
exploring strategic partnerships with suppliers and ports to ensure
the availability of biofuel and infrastructures to advance the
maritime energy transition.
Royal Caribbean Group's sustainability journey began over 30
years ago, and it has remained steadfast in its commitment to
innovate, and advance, the solutions necessary for a more
sustainable future. To learn more about Royal Caribbean
Group's sustainability efforts, information is available
at www.royalcaribbeangroup.com/seathefuture.
About Royal Caribbean Group:
Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) is one of the
leading cruise companies in the world with a global fleet of 64
ships traveling to approximately 1,000 destinations around the
world. Royal Caribbean Group is the owner and operator of three
award winning cruise brands: Royal Caribbean International,
Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises and it is
also a 50% owner of a joint venture that operates TUI
Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Together, the
brands have an additional 10 ships on order as of June 30, 2023. Learn more at
www.royalcaribbeangroup.com or
www.rclinvestor.com.
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SOURCE Royal Caribbean Group