MSC Cruises has signed a new Single-Use Plastic Charter established by the UK Chamber of Shipping which aims to scrap the use of single-use plastic items by the end of 2021, according to a press release.

The cruise line said that in 2019 eliminated 97 million items of plastic after identifying nearly 40,000 single-use plastic items in its hotel operations, shops, restaurants and kitchens.

Nearly 20 million plastic straws were replaced in the year with nine million compostable straws, plastic coverings for more than 10,000 sunbeds were removed and 12 tons of plastic packaging for dishwater detergents was replaced with eco-friendly alternatives, according to MSC, in a press release. 

Linden Coppell, Director of Sustainability, MSC Cruises, said: “We are honoured to be one of the charter’s first signatories and we applaud the UK Chamber of Shipping in launching its initiative.

“The pledge goes beyond the UK Government’s commitment to ban single plastic items which we hope will encourage more organisations to do more to combat what is of real global concern.

“According to research by the British government, 80 per cent of plastic enters the marine environment from land-based sources, especially via rivers, but clearly all of us in the shipping community must play our part.”