Passenger ship (Cruise Passenger ship) — emissions rankings
Cruise ships are the highest per-vessel emitters in the dataset, and honesty requires saying why: they are not transport but floating destinations, running theatres, pools and thousands of cabins around the clock. Their MRV transport-work metrics (per passenger·mile) capture only part of that reality.
Within the type, the data still separates generations sharply: the newest LNG-powered giants and shore-power-equipped ships post materially better figures than the 1990s tonnage still sailing. Regulatory pressure — EU ETS coverage, FuelEU, Mediterranean ECA — is concentrating precisely on this fleet.
Verified data reported under the EU MRV regulation (source: EMSA / THETIS-MRV).
Biggest CO₂ emitters
| # | Vessel | Company | CO₂ 2025 (t) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MSC World Europa | MSC Cruise Management Uk Ltd | 107,496 |
| 2 | MSC Fantasia | MSC Cruise Management Uk Ltd | 105,690 |
| 3 | Allure Of The Seas | Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. | 100,989 |
| 4 | Ventura | Carnival Plc | 99,075 |
| 5 | Norwegian Epic | Ncl (bahamas) Ltd. | 94,965 |
| 6 | MSC Preziosa | MSC Cruise Management Uk Ltd | 89,493 |
| 7 | Celebrity Infinity | Celebrity Cruises, Inc. | 87,132 |
| 8 | Iona | Carnival Plc | 86,610 |
| 9 | MSC Virtuosa | MSC Cruise Management Uk Ltd | 85,335 |
| 10 | Sky Princess | Princess Cruise Lines Ltd | 84,275 |