Majestic images of cruise ships posing in front of Antarctic glaciers will soon be a thing of the past as a ban against such sailings comes into effect in August 2011.
The International Maritime Organisation has adopted a ban against using and carrying heavy fuel oil on ships operating in Antarctic waters forcing cruise lines like Princess Cruises, Crystal and Celebrity to conduct their last cruises to the Antarctic in this 2010/2011 season (November to February).
The ban follows the 2007 sinking of the MV Explorer that had a significant impact on the entire Antarctic tourism industry. Cruise operators have been working on measures to enhance marine safety in the area since then.
The new guideline considers various types of cruise experiences ranging from expeditions on smaller vessels with ice-strengthened hulls that travel into Antarctic coastal and island harbours for landings, to cruise-only midsummer voyages on larger ships that stay in well-charted waters, generally clear of the shoreline and any ice cover. And it is the latter that will be most affected.
The International Maritime Organisation has adopted a ban against using and carrying heavy fuel oil on ships operating in Antarctic waters forcing cruise lines like Princess Cruises, Crystal and Celebrity to conduct their last cruises to the Antarctic in this 2010/2011 season (November to February).
The ban follows the 2007 sinking of the MV Explorer that had a significant impact on the entire Antarctic tourism industry. Cruise operators have been working on measures to enhance marine safety in the area since then.
The new guideline considers various types of cruise experiences ranging from expeditions on smaller vessels with ice-strengthened hulls that travel into Antarctic coastal and island harbours for landings, to cruise-only midsummer voyages on larger ships that stay in well-charted waters, generally clear of the shoreline and any ice cover. And it is the latter that will be most affected.
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