The world’s largest cruise ship has set sail from Miami, Florida, on its maiden voyage, but there are concerns about the vessel’s methane emissions.
The 365m-long (1,197 ft) Icon of the Seas has 20 decks and can house a maximum of 7,600 passengers. It is owned by Royal Caribbean Group.
The vessel is going on a seven-day island-hopping voyage in the Caribbean.
Environmentalists warn the liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered ship will leak harmful methane into the air.
Built at a shipyard in Turku, Finland, the Bahamas-registered ship has seven swimming pools and six water slides.
It cost $2bn (£1.6bn) to build and also has more than 40 restaurants, bars and lounges.
Although LNG burns more cleanly than traditional marine fuels such as fuel oil, there is a risk that some gas escapes, causing methane to leak into the atmosphere.
Methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
Earlier this week, the ICCT released a report arguing that methane emissions from LNG-fuelled ships were higher than current regulations assumed.
Credit: bbc.com
