The technology group Wärtsilä and Carnival Corporation have carried out a joint pilot project to reduce plastic materials being used in marine operations. The aim of the project is to boost maritime sustainability by preventing plastics from harming the environment, and since plastics are formed from fossil fuels, to also lower CO2 emissions. As a result of this pilot, Wärtsilä Global Logistics Services is in the process of changing its spare part packaging to achieve a reduction of approximately 40 percent in the amount of plastic used.

The project was carried out on two Carnival Cruise Line vessels, the Carnival Splendor and the Carnival Freedom. It involved the use of smarter packaging material for spare parts, primarily using recycled paper packaging materials instead of plastic. Despite the challenging sea freight and humid conditions, the quality of the eco-friendly packaging remained at the same level as earlier when plastic was used. The programme resulted in both a considerable reduction in the number of plastic bags used, as well as less weight for the shipments being made. The change in packaging will be incorporated for deliveries to Wärtsilä customers in both the marine and energy sectors.

“Sustainability is all around us, working closely with our very committed business partner Wärtsilä, we are accelerating the process to move from a linear to a more sustainable circular economy, replacing plastic with eco-friendly material,” says Riccardo Cordara, Sr. Director, Fleet Asset Management at Carnival.

“Sustainability is a way of doing business that benefits all stakeholders. We congratulate Carnival for taking positive action to reduce the amount of plastic used, while at Wärtsilä we are now substituting alternative packing materials wherever possible. Our approach is end-to-end, from our suppliers to our distribution centres and onward to the end customer. This highly successful joint effort with Carnival represents one more important step along the road to greater sustainability,” says Saku Mäihäniemi, Vice President, Parts Services, Wärtsilä.

Carnival is a long-standing partner of Wärtsilä, and the two companies have both announced a commitment to advancing more sustainable shipping practices.