PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 1, 2025
For seven months, massive cruise ships have dominated our port. These ships pollute our air. We can see and smell the billowing exhaust. They are also polluting our water, the result of “scrubbing” sulfur from the ships’ exhaust. This scrubbing causes a witches’ brew of chemical discharge directly into Casco Bay. Why is air pollution being traded for water pollution? A flow of sulfuric acid and contaminants is dumped into our pristine water. A cruise ship can discharge up to 8 million gallons worth of acidic scrubber wash every day. Cruise ships are floating cities, burning fuel 24/7 to generate their own power. Scientific studies have proven the extensive environmental damage of scrubber wash discharge. More than 50 countries have banned or restricted scrubber wash discharge in their ports and territorial waters, Portland needs to ban scrubber wash discharge. ~ JoAnn Locktov, co-founder, Portland Cruise Control