~ Bluewater Network ~

Safeguarding the Seas
Stopping the pollution of our oceans by ships and fast ferries and preventing deadly collisions with whales

Cruise Ships: Cruising for Trouble in our Ocean and Ports

Cruise ship with plume

Cruise ships - the largest of which carry more than 5,000 passengers and crew - are floating cities that produce enormous volumes of waste. A typical cruise ship on a one-week voyage generates more than 50 tons of garbage, one million gallons of graywater (waste water from sinks, showers, galleys, and laundry facilities), 210,000 gallons of sewage, and 35,000 gallons of oil-contaminated water. Most of this waste is dumped directly into the ocean, some treated, some not. In addition, luxury liners spew a range of pollutants into the air that can lead to acid rain and contribute to global warming. They can also spread invasive species by dumping untreated ballast water in coastal zones.

The rapidly expanding size and number of cruise ships in US waters has triggered a national cruise ship pollution crisis. Environmental laws have not kept pace with growth of the industry. Cruise lines travel the most pristine waters of America, dumping all the way. New laws and standards are urgently needed.

Bluewater Network leads efforts to force the cruise industry to protect our oceans and take responsibility for the pollution and waste generated on cruise trips. In addition, we have led a coalition of environmental groups to advocate for strict new regulations for monitoring cruise ship waste, especially in sensitive marine habitat where luxury liners tour. Click here to learn more.

Protecting Marine Sanctuaries from Pollution. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is proposing strong regulations that would prohibit cruise ships from dumping waste of any kind in three national marine sanctuaries off the California coast and prohibit the use of jetskis throughout the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
• Read Bluewater Network's letter to NOAA on the regulations
• Read the Bay City News Wire story

Cruise Ship Incineration Regulations Approved. The state of California approved a new air toxics regulation that implemented the on-board trash burning ban passed by Bluewater Network!

San Francisco Cruise Ship Terminal Environmental Recommendations Finalized.
Cleaner marine fuels and the possibility of shoreside power were included as a result of Bluewater Network's advocacy.

Cruise Ship Pollution Reduced by Nearly 10 Tons in 3 Months as a result of the Port of San Francisco's clean fuels incentive program funded by US EPA grants in a joint proposal with Bluewater Network.

Cruise Ship Squeeze, published by New Society Publishers is the newest book by Professor
Ross A. Klein, which focuses on the politics and economics of an industry that runs roughshod over environmental and other laws and regulations.

New $100,000 Air Pollution Grant Will Help Clear Bay Area Skies of Cruise Ship Smokestack Exhaust (September 15, 2005) To read Bluewater's fact sheet,click here.

Cruise Industry and Environmentalists Working Together on Safeguards, San Francisco Examiner, September 28, 2005

Cruise Ship Pollution Bill to Ban Sewage Dumping along US Coast

Cruise company violated accord, Honolulu Advertiser, March 12, 2005

Bluewater Network Releases Request for Ballast Water Study Proposals To view the Request for Proposals, click here

Alaska to vote on new cruise ship pollution and tax measure

New Federal Air Pollution Initiative Will Help Reduce Diesel Exhaust: Cruise Ships Docking in Seattle May Soon Hook Up to Electric Power

Cruise Ship Dumping and Trash Burning Banned in California

California Cruise Ship Pollution Bills Pass

Bluewater Network Lobbies for Passage of California AB 2093, Cruise Ship Dumping Ban that Would Set New Standard for Discharges from Showers, Sinks and Galleys

April 2004 Federal Legislation introduced to prohibit coastal dumping by cruise ships into all US waters

February 2004 - National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council Chairs scrutinize cruise ship pollution in marine sanctuaries at national meeting in Savannah, Georgia. Bluewater Network submits resolution calling for no-discharge that is supported by 20 environmental organizations.

January 2004 - Port of San Francisco holds two-day workshop on cruise ship operations and environmental issues that focuses on preventing water and air pollution. Click here to see the to port workshop agenda. Click here to view Bluewater's recommendations.

California State Lawmakers Pass Cruise Ship Dumping Bills

State, Industry Agree to Stricter Limits on Cruise-Line Sewage Dumping

Voluntary Cruise Pollution Policy No Good for Washington Waters

Cruise Ships Don�t Need to Dump in Coastal Waters � An Analysis of New Treatment Systems

Chart Tracks Cruise Expansion in California

New Cruise Ship Fact Sheets: Bluewater's Fact Sheet on Cruise Ship Pollution and Bluewater's Fact Sheet on the Cruise Industry

Cruising all the way to the buffet (February 1, 2004) Dave Barry comically recounts his cruise ship experience.

Power Point presentation:What Works Best, Regulatory or Non-Regulatory Solutions to Cruise Ship Pollution Prevention? An Environmental Perspective
For a more detailed and printer-friendly copy, click here.

Bluewater files petition to ban cruise ship dumping in marine sanctuaries

New Report Dissects Problems with Voluntary Regulation of Cruise Industry Read the report by clicking here.

Carnival Cruise Lines to Pay $200,000 for Illegal Dumping of Ballast Water

Governor Signs Three Bluewater Network Coastal Protection Bills

Cruise Ships Found to Pollute as much as Deadly Hunter's Point Power Plant

Norwegian Sun Under Investigation for Dumping
In Seattle Waters

Judge Orders Carnival Cruise Line to Stop Illegal Dumping!

Luxury Cruise Lines Sued for Illegal Dumping..

Read our Growing List of Victories:

2005
New regulations for cruise ship on-board incineration ban that implements legislation passed by Bluewater Network were adopted by the California Air Resources Board.

Passed a new California law that prohibits dumping and on-board garbage burning by ocean-going vessels in California state waters out to 3 miles. The bill, SB771-Simitian, extends the cruise ship laws we passed to container, cargo, oil tanker and other large commercial vessels.

Partnered with the Port of San Francisco to launch its new clean fuels program for cruise ships, which will immediately reduce deadly diesel air pollution. Bluewater Network was instrumental in securing a $100,000 grant to support the program from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Gained commitment from the Port of San Francisco to require cleaner fuels and to develop a funding program to install shoreside power at the new cruise terminal when it is built. As a result of Bluewater’s advocacy, the port conducted a feasibility study and found no technical hurdles to installing equipment that would allow ships to turn off their engines and plug into the shoreside electrical grid.

2004
Passed three cruise ship pollution bills that stop dumping of all sewage and graywater and prohibit on-board incineration in California state waters (three-miles), which were highlighted at the Governor’s ocean press conference.

Introduced the Clean Cruise Ship Act in the US Congress, with Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill) and Rep. Sam Farr (D-Monterey), to substantially reduce cruise ship pollution in US waters.

Exposed hypocrisies in Carnival Cruise Lines’ environmental policies. Major campaign tactics included flying airplane banners over Carnival ships, generating public support through petitions, postcards and email campaigns and meetings with cruise line executives.

Stopped a corporate marketing agreement from being established between the Golden Gate Bridge District and a cruise line that would have given tremendous free publicity to a major ocean polluter.

Convinced the Port of Seattle to install shoreside electrical hook-ups so cruise ships can turn off polluting diesel engines and plug-in to the grid while docked next season.

Convinced the Port of San Francisco to prohibit all cruise ship discharges into the Bay in a new berthing agreement.

Collaborated with policy-makers and environmental groups in Washington state to introduce cruise ship pollution legislation.

2003
Passed legislation banning cruise ship dumping of oily bilge water and hazardous wastes in California waters.

Petitioned the Marine Sanctuary System and the Sanctuary Advisory Council to establish sanctuary-wide regulations to prohibit cruise ship pollution.

Settled lawsuit against three cruise lines for violating California laws to prevent transfer of invasive species through ballast water discharges.

Partnered with Alaska groups to place new Cruise Ship Initiative on ballot that would require stronger water quality standards and environmental fees.

Produced report documenting the poor environmental results from voluntary agreements with cruise lines.

Cruising for Trouble: Bluewater Network's report detailing the enormous amount of waste generated by cruise ships

GAO Report: detailed report of the incidents of illegal dumping of waste products by cruise ships

Isn't the cruise industry setting strict new environmental standards for itself?

Cruise Junkie: Your resource for the other information about the Cruise Industry