MSC Cruises announced that its entire fleet had achieved ISO 21070:2017 certification for marine environmental protection.
The certification specifies procedures for the shipboard management of waste, including collection, handling, separation, marking, storage, and treatment. It describes the ship-to-shore interface as well as the delivery of waste from the vessel to port reception facilities. Future cruise ships built for MSC will receive the certification as they enter service.
The marine environmental protection certification ISO 21070:2017 is complementary to the European Union Implementing Regulation 2022/91 of January 21, 2022, which defines criteria for determining that a vessel produces reduced quantities of waste and manages the waste in a sustainable/environmentally sound manner. The criteria of the ISO provide port authorities with additional information on waste management practices to consider when calculating fee reduction for use of port reception facilities in accordance with the EU Directive 2019/883.
Minas Myrtidis, VP of Environmental Operations & Compliance, said they were delighted that their entire fleet was 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.”