Cruise industry environment and Jaxports Statement

"To protect the ocean and our marine environment, JAXPORT and the cruise lines that service Jacksonville adhere to standards that are more stringent than environmental laws and regulations applicable to the United States and the State of Florida.

In 2000, the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, which includes 15 major cruise lines, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection"  How can you even for a moment believe the information released by Jaxport when in fact this same (MOU) has been violated over and over without regard to the public's health and welfare much less the environment. here are some of the facts uncovered thus far

August 2006
Celebration, Carnival Cruise Line
One of the ship's propellers struck bottom while approaching the dock at Nassau spilling an estimated 200 liters of lubricating oil and affecting the operation of the engine. The Nassau call was cancelled and the ship is en route back to its homeport, Jacksonville.

March 2004
Carnival Corporation
Carnival Corporation reported in its 10Q filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that on March 5, 2004, Holland America Line notified the United States and Netherlands governmental authorities that one of its chief engineers had admitted to improperly processing bilge water on the Noordam. A subsequent internal investigation determined that the improper operation may have begun in January 2004 and may have continued sporadically through March 4, 2004. The matter had also been raised by Coast Guard officials in San Juan, Puerto Rico to their counterparts in Tampa following a report to them of the incidents. It isn't clear whether Holland America's self-report predates the report made by the Coast Guard. Holland America Line and three shipboard engineers have received grand jury subpoenas from the Office of the U.S. Attorney in Tampa, FL (where the ship was homeported). (See CCL 10Q filed with the SEC on April 8, 2004)

October 2003
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line paid $200,000 administrative fee to settle with the California State Lands Commission over the cruise line's noncompliance with state ballast water law.

August 2003
Carnival Corporation
In a petition filed with the U.S. District Court in Miami late last month, Carnival's probation officer in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., accused the company of violating terms of its probation by filing 12 false audit reports and asked that Carnival be required to pay another community-service fine. Carnival officials said they fired three environmental-compliance employees responsible for the reports. But the company did not admit to violating its probation.

April 2002
Plea Agreement

Ecstasy, Fantasy, Imagination, Paradise, Sensation, Tropicale, Carnival Corporation
Carnival Corporation pled guilty to numerous occasions from 1996 through 2001 that it discharged oily waste into the sea from their bilges by improperly using pollution prevention equipment. In addition, the company falsified the Oil Record Books in order to conceal its practices. The plea agreement only focusses on Carnival Cruise Line (and dismisses any future charges against other Carnival Corp. subsidiaries), however it only applies to the Southern District of Florida. Other federal jurisdictions may pursue independent investigation and prosecution.

Summer 2001
Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises
11 ships (six companies) cited for violations of air opacity regulations - Alaska
see www.cruisejunkie.com/index.html#Environmental _Issues
Jaxport reads Nowpublic website and may have ignored this concerned citizen views but can Jaxport ignore Nowpublic and its opinions on the environment?