Royal Caribbean’s latest ships will usher in what has been termed as the “next generation” of waste management at sea with systems designed to convert garbage directly into energy onboard.
Starting this year on two ships–Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas and Silversea Cruises’ Silver Nova–the industry will see an innovative new approach to waste management that sets an unprecedented standard in cruise travel.
Royal Caribbean Group’s commitment to shaping its own destiny by pioneering waste to energy systems on cruise ships shows their dedication in meeting this goal responsibly and creating great vacation experiences responsibly for their passengers. Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group stated in a statement, that Royal Caribbean has made great strides forward towards this end goal and strived towards its realization by becoming more sustainable each day.
Royal Caribbean has implemented its Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis (MAP) waste conversion system.
Converting Waste into Energy Onboard
Two ships will utilize systems called Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis (MAP) and Micro Auto Gasification (MAG), respectively, to convert solid waste to energy.
Royal Caribbean explained in its statement that each one is designed to take waste on board and convert it to synthetic gas (syngas) that the ship can then directly use as energy source.
“Like land-based waste-to-energy facilities, this system repurposes waste efficiently and sustainably,” according to a cruise line announcement. Furthermore, biochar is produced as part of this system as an additional bioproduct which may even serve as soil nutrients for crops grown aboard its ships.
As Liberty explained in his remarks, this effort falls under SEA the Future program by Carnival Cruise Line, encompassing its efforts to sustain our planet, foster communities and drive forward innovation within their cruise industry.
Food Waste Reduction Initiatives
Royal Caribbean has today revealed it will conduct a comprehensive assessment of waste management across their fleet by 2025, which includes plans to cut food waste by half through various initiatives including:
Implement a proprietary platform for monitoring food supplies and accurately predicting how much should be produced, prepped, and ordered on any given day using artificial intelligence (AI). Real time adjustments of production.
Utilizing an onboard food waste role and training crew members on its use. Tracking guest demand for specific menu items, and tailoring preparation and ordering accordingly. Launching a food waste awareness campaign across fleet dining rooms.
Data shows that, to date, this cruise line has achieved a 24 percent decrease in food waste by prioritising prevention over over-prep for inventory management and over-provision.
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