MSC Cruises today announced that its entire fleet of ships has achieved the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification for marine environmental protection, ISO 21070:2017, according to a press release.

The new certification specifies the procedures for the shipboard management of waste, including handling, collection, separation, marking, treatment and storage.

Minas Myrtidis, VP Environmental Operations and Compliance, MSC Cruises, said: “We are delighted that our entire fleet is now certified with ISO 21070:2017. As we work to solve the great sustainability challenges that our industry faces, we continue to deploy every tool available to accelerate this, including industry standards and certification. We are and will always remain committed to environmental protection.”

It also describes the ship-to-shore interface and the delivery of waste from the ship to port reception facilities, the company said. 

All future MSC Cruises’ ships will receive the certification as they enter service. 

ISO 21070:2017 certification is complementary to the European Union’s Implementing Regulation 2022/91 of January 21, 2022 which defines criteria for determining that a ship produces reduced quantities of waste and manages waste in a sustainable and environmentally sound manner.

ISO’s criteria provides additional information on waste management practices for port authorities to consider when calculating fees reduction for use of port reception facilities in accordance with the EU Directive 2019/883.