Do Cruise Ships Empty Sewage In The Ocean?

Cruise ships do dispose of waste in the ocean, but each ship must follow specific regulatory requirements. The U.S. allows cruise ships to dump treated waste into the ocean if they are within three and a half miles of shore. Carnival was fined in 2019 for dumping waste into the ocean. However, the ability to discharge water depends on where the ship is located, as some oceans and areas prohibit the practice. Grey water can be discharged far out to sea after minimal treatment because it is not treated.

The EPA estimates that a single 3,000-person cruise ship pumps 150,000 gallons of sewage into the ocean per week. U.S. law requires cruise ships to treat waste within about 3.5 miles of shore, but beyond that, there are no restrictions on dumping polluted sewage and graywater. Researchers have estimated that over a billion gallons of sludge made from excrement and food scraps are released into the ocean every year by cruise lines. Cruise ships also dump harmful fuel waste into the oceans.

Raw sewage is not dumped by any cruise ship anywhere in the oceans any longer (99.999%), and if it is, the vessel is subject to severe fines. All wastewater onboard is collected and nothing goes overboard unless it is first run through a treatment plant. Cruise ships have full-blown wastewater treatment plants on board, and the water they dump is usually as clean or cleaner than the water they use.