May 16, 2025 (Portland, ME) ..... On Monday, May 12, the massive 1,036 ft. cruise ship, MSC Meraviglia, sailed into Portland unannounced by horn or tug, to make technical repairs. The ship arrived with crew but none of the 5,642 maximum number of passengers the ship can accommodate. Scheduled for five days of repairs and not leaving until midnight on May 16, the 19 deck ship, the 23rd largest in the the world, was not only obtrusive, it was also noxious, as its heavy exhaust and scrubber wash soon filled the pristine harbor in Casco Bay. The exhaust emitted a foul odor, and ranged in color from a dirty sawdust yellow to black.
Residents immediately took to social media and Portland's 311 click fix reporting process, to describe the public health impacts they were suffering from, including difficulty breathing, coughing, exacerbated asthma, sore throats, and respiratory distress. Windows were forced to be closed and people questioned the value of booking a ship for an extended stay in Portland without the tangible benefit of passenger spending.
In the afternoon of May 15th, Portland City staff reacted to the numerous complaints from residents and the visually alarming exhaust by requesting that the ship revert to using marine gas oil , a cleaner distillate fuel. This meant that the scrubbers would no longer be necessary and air quality would improve.
JoAnn Locktov, co-founder of Portland Cruise Control credits the city with reacting to the citizens concerns and requesting a fuel change that resulted in everyone breathing a little easier. "It was because of all the people who voiced their concern and dismay over the pollution being caused by the MSC Meraviglia that the ship has now made a critical change in the quality of our air and water. The cruise industry must be held accountable for the pollution they cause. I don't want people to ever forget that their voices can create a positive difference. I applaud the city for listening, reacting, and finding a solution to the negative environmental impacts of the ship."
Questions remain about how the city will deal with cruise ships in the future. They have the opportunity to consider the Scrubber Wash Ban proposal submitted by Portland Cruise Control for all cruise ships and have now witnessed first hand how the difference in fuel can impact the pollution. Along with fuel requirements, the city and Portland residents will need to evaluate limits on the size, numbers, and schedules of cruise ships to the port. portlandcruisecontrolmaine.org
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Top image: MSC Meraviglia by Jo-Ann Ramsey
MSC Meraviglia at night while docked in Portland. Image by Maggy Wolf
