AIDA Cruises President Felix Eichhorn, Hamburg Senator for Economic Affairs Dr. Melanie Leonhard and Hamburg Port Authority Managing Director Jens Meier have signed a long-term agreement (LTA) to strengthen Hamburg as a cruise destination.
AIDA Cruises and Hamburg are setting course together for further growth in the future. To this end, the cruise company signed a Long-Term Agreement (LTA) with the Port Authority of Hamburg on September 1, 2023. With this agreement, AIDA underscores its commitment to the Hanseatic city and guarantees the volume of ships and passengers for another five years. For more than 20 years, AIDA, the German market leader in the cruise sector, has been a regular presence on the Elbe River with its ships, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists to the city with the launch of five vessels.
With 124 calls in 2023, AIDA is the largest cruise customer of the Port of Hamburg and an important economic factor for the metropolitan region.
The cruise company and the city laid the foundations for sustainable development in Hamburg seven years ago, when Europe's first onshore power station came online at the Altona Cruise Centre.
Felix Eichhorn, President of AIDA Cruises, explains: “We were the first cruise line in Europe to start using shore power. We are pleased to support the Port of Hamburg Authority with our expertise and experience in integration testing both onshore and on the ship side, and for the opening of the new facility at the Steinwerder cruise terminal.”.
Senator for Economic Affairs, Dr. Melanie Leonhard: “The cruise sector makes a significant contribution to adding value and employment in our port and its surrounding area. Together with AIDA Cruises, we want to continue developing our partnership and, therefore, Hamburg as a sustainable cruise destination.”.
Jens Meier, CEO of HPA: “AIDA Cruises has contributed significantly to us likely reaching the magic number of one million passengers this year.”
As part of its Green Cruise Strategy, AIDA Cruises has been investing in a sustainable cruise market for many years and actively supports the European Union's goal of establishing shore power infrastructure in all major EU ports by 2030. In addition to using liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a key bridging technology, AIDA Cruises is expanding its use of alternative energy sources such as shore power and batteries to operate its ships. Together with several partners, the cruise company is working intensively on and implementing new solutions for future use, such as fuel cells and regenerative and synthetic fuels. As part of Carnival Corporation & plc, AIDA Cruises aims to reduce its carbon intensity by 20% by 2026 compared to 2019 and aspires to achieve carbon-neutral fleet operations by 2050.
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