members of the International Council of Cruise Lines ( iccl ) have formulated environmental standards pertaining to constructing ecofriendly ships, complying with international environmental laws, minimising waste production and maintaining cooperative relationships with regulatory authorities. Now, the cruise liners are under an obligation to adopt new ecofriendly technology to manage their waste. All the iccl members will now have to integrate the standards into their internationally mandated Safety Management System ( sms ). This will ensure compliance through internal and external audits.
Meanwhile, Alaska has become the first state in the us to pass a bill to regulate pollution from cruise ships. With the bill, the state can have its laws different from federal laws. For example, while a federal law limits sewage disposal from cruise ships carrying 500 or more passengers, Alaska has brought down the passenger limit to 50. It has also set new standards for graywater, runoffs from showers, laundries and sinks and air pollution. To fund the programme, the state will charge cruise companies us $1 per passenger.
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