Water
The good thing is, that we are only minimally dependent on shore-sourced (bunkered) freshwater. The water we consume for showers, food preparation and our pools, for example, comes from the ocean. Thanks to our ship´s own seawater desalination plants that work with reverse osmosis, we can treat salty water directly on board and then enjoy it as freshwater and drinking water on the cruise.
How it works:
This not only makes us self-sufficient, it also embraces our responsibility towards those TUI Cruises destinations where freshwater is scarce. However, since our desalination plants also consumes energy, saving freshwater onboard is a top priority. We ensure this in many areas, for example with the infrared faucets in the public restrooms, vacuum-powered WC systems, and through responsible bedsheet and towel-change frequencies.
Purified wastewater flows into the ocean
Of course, no untreated wastewater is discharged at sea. Instead, we collect it on board and clean it thoroughly in our Advanced Wastewater Purification (AWP) system. These modern plants are comparable to onshore sewage treatment plants and treat all wastewater in a multi-stage process, finalizing with UV disinfection. This results in treated wastewater which we discharge ashore when in port, or into the ocean as long as the ship is outside the of the three nautical mile zone.
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Environmental OfficersOnboard sustainability has a human face – several, in fact.
- Climate protection & emissions
Energy from fossil sources releases CO2, which increases global warming over the long term. For this reason, it was clear to us from the very beginning that is a top priority with our Mein Schiff® fleet.
- Waste management
We apply the tried and trusted principle of “avoid, reduce, recycle” to waste on board.
