AIDA Cruises is to carry out a pilot operation of battery systems on board one of its cruise ships
Costa Group and Carnival Asia group chief executive Michael Thamm said “Our goal is emissions-neutral ship operation. The electrification of our ships is another important milestone on this path. Thanks to the co-operation with Corvus Energy, AIDA Cruises is going to launch this innovative technology on a large cruise ship.”
ABB and Siemens are also partners in the project.
The company plans to incorporate the experiences from this pilot operation of battery systems on board other AIDA and Costa cruise ships.
Using a battery system on an AIDA ship is another important step in implementing AIDA’s ’Green Cruising Strategy’. At the end of 2018, AIDA Cruises pioneered a technology leap forward with AIDAnova’s launch, the world’s first cruise ship operating entirely on low-emission LNG. After introducing low-emissions LNG operations, fossil fuel consumption is reduced further and ship operations are significantly more efficient.
In August this year, AIDA Cruises was awarded the Blue Angel, the German Federal Government’s ecolabel for AIDAnova’s environmentally friendly ship design. By 2023, two more AIDA LNG vessels will be put into service.
AIDA Cruises is a trailblazer in many other areas. As early as the end of 2020, 12 of its 14 AIDA cruise ships will be able to receive shore power where available. Since 2017, AIDAsol has used the shore power plant in Hamburg-Altona.
As part of its Green Cruising Strategy, AIDA is also exploring CO2-free production of liquefied gas from renewable sources (power-to-gas project) or using fuel cells in cruise shipping. In 2021, in co-operation with Meyer Werft shipyard and other partners, the first fuel cell test is scheduled on board an AIDA ship.
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