Danger in Dingle’s message?

Carnival UK boss David Dingle runs the risk of getting a reputation for being a moaning Minnie. Not from his colleagues in the cruise industry, who he has been addressing today at the SeaTrade Med conference in Cannes – he is speaking up on their behalf.
But I fear that other observers may take exception to his appeals against moves to legislate for cleaner fuel in ships and higher pay for crew.
With an apparent disregard for green considerations, Dingle said that new regulations from the International Maritime Organisation which will prevent ships using so-called bunker oils, and require them to burn low-emission fuels were “ill-thought out” and that sulphur is “the biggest threat to the cruise industry.”
By 2015 ships in emission-controlled areas which now include the English Channel, North Sea and Baltic, and are likely to extend to the Mediterranean and north America, will be able to burn only fuel which emits no more than 0.1 per cent sulphur. By 2020, ships outside these areas will be restricted to using fuel emitting no more than 0.5 per cent sulphur.
“We will no longer be able to burn the residual fuels that we put into ships now,” said Dingle. “We will have to burn diesel, which is twice as expensive.
“By 2020 we might have to burn diesel throughout the industry. I am sceptical that technology will catch up in time,” he said, suggesting that the move would increase worldwide demand for diesel by 20 per cent, with inevitable consequences for the price.
Dingle also expressed doubts that technology such as scrubbers being developed by Royal Caribbean to reduce sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide emissions would be successful.
Turning his attention to European employment law, he said any demands to increase the pay of cruise ship crew would be “very bad news.”
“Europe is an enlightened place and wants employees to be treated properly, which is a good thing,” he said. “But this must not be taken to ridiculous extremes. We employ people all over the world at levels that are lower than what we would pay European employees, but people from these areas are clamouring to come and work with us because the wages are still much higher than they would get otherwise.
“It is important not to lose this fight. If Brussels imposes European pay levels, it will be very bad news for employers and very bad news for the employees, because we give them employment, and we have to be able to afford to do this.”
Dingle – awarded a CBE in the 2009 New Year Honours – is a distinguished advocate for cruising. I hope his remarks, reported by TTGLive, will not rebound against him and the industry he represents.