Judge pledges to ban polluting cruise ships from US ports

"If I could, I would give all members of the executive committee a visit to the detention center."

Cruise lines promise their guests a dream vacation, but this tourism is often a nightmare in terms of environmental impact. Now, a US federal judge threatens to ban a cruise line from using any US port because of his blatant disregard for environmental laws that he's already on probation for offense .

In fact, Justice Patricia Seitz says she wants to be able to send the chairman of the board of directors and the president of Carnival Corporation to jail. "People at the top treat it like a gnat," Seitz told the Miami Herald. "If I could, I would give all members of the executive committee a visit to the detention center for a few days. It's amazing how it helps people focus on reality. "

What Seitz is talking about is Carnival's non-compliance with the environmental control required under a five-year probationary period that began in 2017. That, with a hefty $ 40 million fine – the most United States ever imposed a serious threat of intentional pollution from ships – a court sanction after Carnival Princess Cruise ships were caught spilling oil into the ocean for eight years .

They were finally arrested by a whistleblower, a new crew engineer, who reported in August 2013 the oil spill in British waters to the British Maritime Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). The crew member landed in Southampton and resigned, while British and American authorities worked together to build the case.

More than five years later, Carnival's top executives did not even bother to appear on April 10 for the hearing on their probation violation. Seitz warned that she expects them to be present when she makes her final decision in June. If it holds its threat, Carnival ships will not be allowed to dock in US ports.

It is a large number of American ports, but Carnival Corporation is one of the biggest names in the world cruise industry and has 102 ships worldwide. The company's nine brands include Holland America Line N.V., Cunard, P & O Australia, AIDA in Germany, as well as Seabourn cruises on the Mediterranean.

Friends of the Earth (FOE) ranked 17 cruise lines and 171 ships in 2016 as part of their efforts to raise awareness of the heavy footprint of this holiday. Seabourn, for example, got an "F" for reducing air pollution and transparency of its business; P & O has achieved an overall "F" for air, wastewater and more.

"Most travelers do not realize that cruising is more harmful to the environment and human health than many other forms of travel," FOE said. Their environmental counterparts at NABU, Germany, have released a report from 2017 stating that a ship's emissions look like millions of cars.

Carnival responded by saying that sustainability is its top priority, but its violations date back to at least 2002. Among other things, the company was cited for throwing plastic garbage into the sea and illegally dumping greywater in protected areas. . of Alaska, with charges of obstructing justice for attempting to cover their tracks. Yet this is not the only way to pose a serious threat to the environment.

"The pollution in this case was the result of more than bad actors on a ship," said Deputy Attorney General Cruden of the US Department of Justice, during Carnival's guilty plea in December 2016 for the cruise line. "It does not really reflect the culture and management of Princess. It's a company that knew better and should have done better. Hopefully the outcome of this case could potentially not only chart a new course for this company, but also for other companies. "