Two Cruise Lines Take Antipollution Steps

Amid charges that cruise ships upset Alaska’s delicate environment, two cruise lines are enlisting new technology to battle pollution.

Princess Cruises last month began plugging its ships into the power grid during port calls in Juneau. A custom-built connection at the South Franklin Street Dock allows the ships to turn off their smoke-emitting diesel engines and tap into hydroelectricity from Alaska Electric Light & Power to run onboard services. Princess said it invested $4.5 million in the project. Four of its five ships that call on Juneau use the system; the fifth is to be added next summer.

Holland America last month was certified by the U.S. Coast Guard to install wastewater treatment plants aboard three more of its Alaska-bound ships by May. Two of its ships that visit Alaska, the 1,266-passenger Statendam and the 1,440-passenger Zaandam, already carry the plants. The line says that the plants purify sewage water and so-called gray water (from laundries and other operations) to “near-drinking water quality” using special bacteria and ultraviolet light. The treated water is reused for engine cooling, deck washing and other functions. The line cited U.S. Environmental Protection Agency statistics estimating that each cruise passenger generates 100 gallons of wastewater per day.