AIDA Cruises, owned by the Costa Group, Europe's leading cruise company, has today signed a cooperation agreement with the world's largest supplier of marine batteries, Norway's Corvus Energy. The aim of this partnership is the installation of battery systems on board one of AIDA's ships in 2020.
Michael Thamm, CEO of Costa Group and Carnival Asia, commented: “Our long-term goal is to operate zero-emission ships. Electrifying our ships is another important milestone on this path. Together with Corvus Energy, AIDA Cruises will incorporate this new system into one of its ships in less than a year, becoming the first cruise line in the world to do so.”
The Norwegian-Canadian company Corvus Energy is one of the most recognized suppliers of marine batteries and is considered a pioneer in the development of marine energy storage systems. Other partners in the project include ABB and Siemens.
Following the introduction of low-emission fossil fuel – Liquefied Natural Gas – to the cruise industry, AIDA Cruises has become the first company to use electrical power supplied by battery storage systems on board its cruise ships. As a first step, Corvus Energy will equip an AIDA ship with a lithium-ion battery storage system by summer 2020. Thanks to this technology, the ship's operational efficiency will increase significantly, thereby reducing fossil fuel consumption. The installation of battery systems on board other cruise ships is planned after this pilot project.
The use of a battery system on an AIDA ship is another important step in the implementation of its "Green Cruises" strategy, following the launch in late 2018 of the world's first LNG-powered ship, featuring cutting-edge technology. AIDA Cruises was recently awarded the Blue Angel, the German Federal Government's eco-label, for the environmentally responsible design of the AIDAnova. Two more LNG-powered vessels are scheduled to enter service by 2023.
AIDA Cruises is confirming its pioneering role in numerous areas. By the end of 2020, 12 of AIDA's 14 ships will be equipped to receive power from shore where this technology is available, a practice the AIDAsol has been using since 2017 for its regular power supply from the Hamburg-Altona power plant.
As part of its “Green Cruising” strategy , AIDA is also exploring the possibilities of producing CO2-free liquefied natural gas from renewable sources (the “Power to Gas” project) or using fuel cells in the cruise industry. The first fuel cell test is scheduled to take place on board an AIDA ship in 2021, in collaboration with the Meyer Werft shipyard and other partners.
