Carnival Corporation will undertake a series of “comprehensive technology upgrades” across its global fleet to improve energy efficiency and reduce fuel consumption.

The upgrades, called service power packages, will take place throughout 2023 on ships from the company’s nine cruise line brands – Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O Australia, Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises and Cunard.

Developed over the last six years, the programme will involve air conditioning upgrades to cabin and public areas, as well as enhancements to cooling, lighting and automation systems.

Carnival will customise the work for each ship.

The company said the project should deliver an average of 5-10 per cent fuel savings per ship, and reduce fleet-wide greenhouse gas emissions by more than 500,000 metric tons each year.

In addition, it is expected to result in $150 million fuel cost savings annually.

Carnival Corporation building sustainability efforts

Carnival Corporation chief maritime officer Bill Burke said: “The service power programme closely aligns with our long-term sustainability and decarbonisation goals and our highest responsibility and top priority, which is compliance, environmental protection and the health, safety and wellbeing of our guests, the people in the communities we visit, and our shipboard and shoreside personnel.

“Based on our improved fleet composition, including adding six industry-leading liquefied natural gas powered ships, and our previous investments to increase efficiency and reduce emissions, our absolute carbon emissions peaked in 2011 despite significant capacity growth over the past decade.

“These tailored service power packages further build on those efforts as part of our comprehensive approach to sustainability.”

As part of its longer-term sustainability goals, Carnival Corporation has committed to reducing carbon emission intensity by 20 per cent from its 2019 baseline by 2030, supporting its efforts to achieve net carbon-neutral ship operations by 2050.

The company said it has invested more than $350 million in energy efficiency improvements since 2016.