German cruise line AIDA Cruises, part of Carnival Corporation, signed an agreement with marine battery supplier Corvus Energy, regarding the installation of lithium-ion battery storage systems onboard the AIDA Cruises fleet, starting from 2020. The agreement, signed August 20, aims –for the first time– to allow for the practical use of electrical energy from battery storage systems onboard large cruise ships.
AIDA’s pilot program in electrification will test the system’s use of stored battery power for emission-free ship operation for an extended period as well as to meet onboard energy needs.
Following the pilot electrification program aboard an AIDA vessel, the effort will expand to Carnival’s Italian brand, Costa Cruises.
Our goal is to reach emission-neutral ship operation. The electrification of our ships is another important step on this path. Thanks to the cooperation with Corvus Energy, in just a few months AIDA Cruises will for the first time launch this innovative technology on a large cruise ship,
…said Michael Thamm, CEO of Costa Group and Carnival Asia.
The move is the latest in a series of innovations that supports Carnival Corporation’s “green cruising” strategy, which includes the introduction of new technologies and investments in sustainable cruising.
In December 2018, AIDA Cruises made history with the introduction of the world’s first LNG-fueled cruise ship.
In total, Carnival has an additional 10 next-generation “green” cruise ships on order, including Costa Smeralda, which will be its second LNG-fueled cruise ship when it joins the Costa Cruises fleet in October.
Additionally, as of July 2019, scrubbers have been installed on 77 of the more than 100 ships in the Carnival Corporation fleet.
Meanwhile, AIDA is also exploring the use of CO2-free production of liquefied gas from renewable sources through its “Power to Gas” project.
The brand also plans to test its first onboard fuel cell in 2021, in cooperation with the Meyer Werft shipyard and other partners.
By the end of 2023, 94% of all AIDA guests will travel on ships that can be fully powered by LNG or shore power where possible, the company said.
