According to the document, in 2017, the Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest luxury cruise operator, produced about 10 times more sulphur oxide on the European coasts than the 260 million European cars.


In absolute terms, Spain, Italy and Greece, followed closely by France and Norway and then by Portugal, are the European countries most exposed to sulphur oxide pollution from cruise ships, while Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Venice are the worst affected cities, followed by Rome and Southampton, and Lisbon in sixth place.


The large exposure is due to the fact that they are the main tourist destinations, but also, the report said, because they have less strict standards on the sea sulfur, allowing the cruise ships to burn the most sulfurous and more pollutant fuel off their coasts.