AIDA Cruises to Start Powering Ship with LNG in Mediterranean Ports

Following the first successful tests, cruise ship AIDAperla will be supplied with energy produced from low-emission liquefied natural gas (LNG) while berthed at several Mediterranean ports in the coming weeks, German cruise line AIDA Cruises said. 

As informed, the ship will be gradually supplied with LNG while at berth at the ports of Barcelona in Spain, Marseille in France and Civitavecchia in Italy. The company is still in discussions on the topic with Palma de Mallorca in Spain.

A cruise vessel spends some 40 percent of its operating time while docked in a port. Thanks to the use of its dual-fuel engine, AIDAperla can produce the required power from LNG. LNG will be supplied by an LNG truck, according to the company.

By using LNG for energy supply on board, nitrogen oxide emissions can be reduced by up to 80 percent and carbon dioxide emissions by a further 20 percent. What is more, particulate matter and sulfur oxides are almost completely eliminated. This contributes to improving air quality in cruise ports in the Western Mediterranean, AIDA Cruises further said.

In May 2016, AIDA Cruises carried out the first LNG-supply trial in Hamburg. Following this, similar operations were conducted in the ports of Southampton, Le Havre, Zeebrugge and Rotterdam.

The cruise ship ended its Northern Europe season in mid-November 2017 after 18 months. In AIDAprima’s current cruise region, around the Canaries and Madeira, the company is working with local partners to organize the ship’s LNG supply in Funchal – Madeira, Portugal.

From fall 2018, AIDA Cruises will be taking the next step – with the commissioning of AIDAnova, the cruise company will be able to operate its new generation of ships entirely with LNG – both in port and at sea.