Tradewinds: Carnival fuels confusion over its Arctic bunkers

Tradewinds: Carnival fuels confusion over its Arctic bunkers

Carnival Corp has given conflicting information on what kind of fuel its ships burn in the Arctic.

Four months ago, the Arnold Donald-led cruise major said it uses only high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) with exhaust gas scrubbers in the region.

But the New York-listed company now claims its ships have burnt only marine gas oil (MGO) in the Arctic for more than two years.Spokesman Roger Frizzell said Carnival began using “just MGO” there before environmental group Stand.earth initiated an air-pollution campaign in December 2016.

“I haven’t been able to get exact dates yet but our AIDA brand has been using MGO the longest in the region and all our brands began collectively sailing on MGO in the region shortly before the negative campaign was initiated,” he tells TradeWinds.

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“Carnival claiming that all its global cruise brands sailing in Arctic waters have not used any heavy fuel oil, opting only for cleaner marine gasoil, since before December 2016 is both surprising and encouraging,” Stand.earth senior shipping campaigner Kendra Ulrich tells TradeWinds.

“In the interest of transparency, Carnival should release its fuel logs to show the world that it has been, and will continue to be, a leader in getting heavy fuel oil out of the fragile Arctic ecosystem.”

Carnival did not respond to TradeWinds’ requests for fuel log information.

Tradewinds: Carnival fuels confusion over its Arctic bunkers ($)