Big news for cruise ships in Antarctica
Starting in 2011, cruise ships carrying “heavy fuel” will not be permitted within the zone protected by the Antarctic Treaty which is everything south of 60 ̊ S latitude. That means that ships like the Seven Seas Mariner will be prohibited from even cruising through Antarctic waters. This action is the result of an increased number of “heavy fuel” cruise ships in the area and the mounting potential for adverse environmental and ecological impact. Heavy fuel is known to produce combustion related residue. The biggest culprit is sulfur. To conform to local regulations in many countries cruise lines are fitting their ships with state of the art “scrubbers.” Though these scrubbers minimize these emissions they are still more than can be absorbed by the Antarctic environment.
Antarctica is one of the last places on earth that is still relatively untouched by man. Due to the harsh nature of the environment man has had a limited presence on the Great White Continent. In Antarctica nature is balanced very delicately, one small alteration can have a deleterious down line effect. Ships carrying more than 500 passengers are automatically restricted to where they can go and are denied any small boat landings. Most of the larger ships are the same ones that carry “heavy fuel.”
It will be interesting to see what happens. Advocates of large ships in Antarctica say they can safely transport more people to the region with less environmental impact than the number of smaller ships it takes to transport a comparable amount. Those that are in favor of having only small ships in Antarctica say that the smaller size appeals to a more serious, expeditionary clientele that can better adhere to and control environmental and ecological concerns.