ruling

ASA complaint on cruise travel agents by Opportunity Green - ruling

Litigation

Sabin

Sabin Litigation

Filing Year For Action

On 3 September 2025, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld two complaints by climate change NGO Opportunity Green concerning environmental claims made by cruise travel agents Seascanner and Cruise Circle, about liquified natural gas (fossil LNG). 

The adverts touted environmental claims about MSC Cruises’ LNG-powered ships: MSC World Europa and MSC Euribia. References were made to the ships being “eco-friendly” and fossil LNG being “the world’s cleanest marine fuel”.
The ASA found that the adverts breached several provisions of the UK non-broadcast advertising code (CAP code) and were likely to mislead. In reaching its decision on Seascanner, the ASA explained that LNG was a fossil fuel that primarily comprised methane. The ruling stated that whilst fossil LNG produces lower levels of CO2, sulphur oxide and nitrogen oxide than traditional marine fuel, its production and use had other potentially negative environmental impacts. In particular, methane slip and leakage, which is the emission of unburned methane into the atmosphere, at all stages of the fuel’s life cycle, make a substantial contribution to climate change. The ASA added that fossil LNG produces reduced, but still significant, CO2 emissions over its full lifecycle, which was not explained in the ad.

The ruling on Seascanner also highlighted other environmental impacts of cruising that could harm marine life and ecosystems, such as water discharges. As the advert had not given information to put the impact of LNG or ‘environmental technology’ into context, the ASA concluded that the environmental impact of the advertised cruise ship had not been adequately explained. 

Similar findings on the lifecycle impacts of fossil LNG were made in the ruling on Cruise Circle, making it unacceptable to make an absolute claim such as “eco-friendly”. The ASA also stated that evidence did not demonstrate that LNG was the least-polluting marine fuel globally. It said that advertisers must robustly substantiate the full lifecycle emissions of a cruise to support an environmental claim. 

ASA complaint on cruise travel agents by Opportunity Green

The Climate Litigation Database

Find climate change litigation data and indicators for {text}.

{text} litigation

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law provides Climate Litigation Database, a comprehensive database of US and Global climate change caselaw

Quickly and easily search through the complete text of thousands of climate change law and policy documents from every country.

Search the Climate Litigation Database

An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

Risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from the dynamic interplay between (climate-related) hazards, exposure, and vulnerability of affected human or ecological systems.

Groups  of people who are adversely affected by climate change or the response to it

A set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy.

Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

Fossil fuel is a generic term for non-renewable energy sources such as coal, fossil gas, and oil (including crude oil, and petroleum products), that can be used for electricity and heat generation. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons formed from pressurised and heated organic material buried over millions of years.

Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

A long-lived, colourless gas, chiefly emitted from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation and cement production.

This sector includes firms and individuals offering specialised expertise in fields such as law, accounting, consulting, science and engineering.

This sector involves the distribution, treatment, and conservation of water resources.

Actions to adapt human health, healthcare systems and well-being to climate change.

Air pollution involves harmful contaminants in the air, affecting both indoor and outdoor environments. It can lead to health issues like respiratory diseases and heart problems, and climate impacts such as global warming. Pollutants can damage plants, trees, habitats, and water bodies like rivers and lakes.

Actions or measures to adapt freshwater, coastal and marine systems to climate change.

This sector creates and distributes information and entertainment through television, radio, print, and digital platforms.

Oil is a combustible liquid fossil fuel composed mainly of hydrocarbons, occurring as crude oil and refined into petroleum products such as petrol, diesel and kerosene.

Actions or measures to adapt freshwater systems to climate change.

A potent, short-lived greehouse gas, largely released from livestock, fossil fuel extraction and waste management.

The release of heat-trapping gases, primarily from human activities such as burning fossil fuels, agriculture and industry.

Activities of government agencies and institutions that provide public services, enforce laws and manage public resources.

This sector involves managing waste treatment, sanitation, pollution control and environmental cleanup.

Fossil gas, commonly known as natural gas, is a fossil fuel consisting chiefly of methane with smaller amounts of other hydrocarbons and trace gases, found in underground deposits.