TUI Cruises has appointed an independent Environmental Advisory Board, according to a company statement.

Following a meeting earlier this month, the company has set its green agenda through the board, which will include experts from science, shipping, and politics. 

Board: 

• Professor Stefan Gössling, scientist and expert in the areas of tourism, transport, sustainability, and greenhouse gas emissions;
• Professor Horst Harndorf, shipping expert and former head of the Chair of Piston Machines and Internal Combustion Engines at the University of Rostock;
• Professor Lucia A. Reisch, professor for consumer behavior and consumer policy and from 2010 to 2019 a member of the German Council for Sustainable Development of the federal government;
• Ole von Beust, lawyer and former First Mayor of Hamburg, initiator of the MARITIME LNG PLATTFORM e.V., the German national LNG initiative

The Environmental Advisory Board will meet on a regular basis with TUI Cruises’ management to exchange thoughts and ideas.

“As a leading cruise line, our goal is to make our cruises as clean as possible. We already operate the youngest and most environmentally friendly cruise fleet worldwide. In order to move closer to our vision of emission-free and carbon-neutral cruises, we’re working constantly on getting even better. I’m very pleased to have experts on board with us who will accompany us on this journey,” said Wybcke Meier, Chief Executive Officer at TUI Cruises.

Professor Stefan Gössling added: “Cruise shipping is one of the most energy-intensive types of tourism and faces a major challenge in terms of its transformation. Together, we’ll hopefully succeed in uniting climate protection and economic efficiency.”

According to TUI, it operates the youngest and most environmentally-friendly cruise fleet worldwide.

On six of its seven ships, the Hamburg-based cruise line additionally reduces emissions by means of an exhaust gas cleaning system. This comprises a hybrid scrubber and catalytic converters that reduce sulfur oxide emissions by up to 99 percent, particulate matter by up to 60 percent, and nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 75 percent.