MSC Cruises to withdraw ads calling LNG ‘green’ – Opportunity Green

Swiss cruise liner MSC Cruises and the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) have reached an “informal resolution” to withdraw advertisements referring to fossil LNG as green.

PHOTO: Bunkering of MSC Erubia in Cadiz, Spain. Linkedin of MSC Cruises

With this resolution, MSC Cruises, the cruise division of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), has “taken down or corrected the advertisements and given appropriate assurances to the ASA”, avoiding a formal ruling, environmental non-profit Opportunity Green explained.

Greenwashing claims

Opportunity Green had filed a complaint against MSC Cruises over environmental claims made in its global advertising campaign.

The campaign, titled “For a greater beauty,” was launched earlier this year in over 30 countries. It promoted MSC Cruises as offering a sustainable cruising experience through the use of “cleaner fuel” LNG to power its newest ships, MSC World Europa and MSC Euribia. The advertisements described the MSC World Europa as using “clean, green technology” and were widely shared across social media.

Opportunity Green challenged these claims, arguing that fossil LNG is a “highly-damaging fossil fuel” with “detrimental” climate impacts due to its high methane content and cannot be considered sustainable.

In response, MSC Cruises reached an informal resolution with the ASA, agreeing to withdraw the advertisements in their current form. The company has also committed to ensure that its future advertisements “will be clear and not make absolute environmental claims” unless backed by clear evidence, Opportunity Green said.

In a separate ruling in October, the Dutch Advertising Code Authority also found the same campaign misleading and recommended MSC Cruises to stop these ads in their current form. However, the decision is not yet final and may be appealed.

By Konica Bhatt

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