Waste generation and management onboard a cruise ship: A case study

Abstract

Modern cruise ships produce high amounts of various wastes. They operate in picturesque and valuable but often vulnerable marine ecosystems. The aim of this paper is to study the waste types and amounts as well as the management practices employed onboard an average-sized cruise ship operating in the Caribbean Sea. Daily data on waste production for the year 2018 were analysed using descriptive statistics. The results show that the mean weekly production of waste is around 2358 m3 of greywater and treated sewage, 84 m3 of oily waste, and 266 m3 of solid waste. The wastes are either incinerated (part of the domestic and operational waste), legally discharged at sea (grey water plus treated sewage, bilge water with ≤5 ppm of oil and pulped food) or disposed to port reception facilities. There is a lack of adequate land waste management infrastructure in the Caribbean area. Therefore, waste management and marine pollution prevention onboard will contribute to the reduction of the environmental footprint of the cruising industry and to the sustainable development of the coastal and island states.