Europe’s worst-polluting cruise ships will call at Malta 122 times this year, according to a Cruise Ship Ranking for 2019.

The list was compiled by BirdLife Malta’s German partner Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (Nabu). For the ranking, 90 vessels were checked on their emissions’ impacts, especially on contribution to air pollution levels.

In 2019, 21 of these vessels berthed or were scheduled to berth at Grand Harbour, most of them calling several times throughout the year.

Cruise ships equipped with technologies that reduced air pollution caused by exhaust systems would only be calling 33 times.

BirdLife Malta said in a statement that the climate footprint of cruise ships was worrying: all were fuelled by fossil fuels producing enormous greenhouse gas emissions.

BirdLife Malta and its German counterpart Nabu have been working on a joint project together with other international partners since December 2016, delivering an awareness campaign on air pollution generated by cruise ships in the Mediterranean.

In the category of air pollutants, German shipowner Aida is the cleanest with its newest model Aidanova. Aida’s Italian parent group Costa Crociere is on a par with its LNG operated Costa Smeralda.

The third place is awarded to three ships of shipping company Hapag-Lloyd: Europa 2, ‘winner’ in 2013, as well as the new expedition cruise ships Hanseatic Nature, and Hanseatic Inspiration. These are not scheduled to call at Valletta this year.

Far behind in the ranking are the industry’s giant MSC fleet which constantly places last. In 2019, 17 calls by these ships are scheduled at Valletta Cruise Port. German company TUI Cruises has been downgraded to 13th place.