The Costa Smeralda, flagship of the Costa Cruises , successfully completed its first refueling with liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the port of Dubai.
This is the first time a liquefied natural gas refueling operation has been carried out on a cruise ship in the port of Dubai, which has been made possible thanks to Monjasa, the logistics provider, and the cooperation of the Dubai Port Authority.
The tanker "Green Zeebrugge" filled the Costa Smeralda's three LNG tanks with a total of approximately 3,000 cubic meters of LNG. The three tanks are located in dedicated, protected areas and constructed of cryogenic steel, a specially insulating material designed to maintain a constant temperature of -155 degrees Celsius. This temperature is crucial for cooling the LNG to its liquid state, which is then used to power the ship's engines. A full tank of LNG provides the Costa Smeralda with enough power for at least 2.5 weeks.
The use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the cruise sector is currently the best option for achieving an immediate reduction in greenhouse gas emissions while zero-emission fuels for the maritime industry are being developed. Considered one of the cleanest fossil fuels in the world, LNG can reduce carbon emissions by up to 20% and almost completely eliminate emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and particulate matter.
This fuel represents a viable step towards net-zero emissions in maritime operations by 2050, as well as laying the foundation for the adoption of future fuels and propulsion technologies such as bioLNG (biomethane) and other renewable fuels, when they become available.
Furthermore, the Costa Smeralda incorporates several additional sustainability innovations. While its entire daily freshwater supply is generated by desalination systems that transform seawater, energy consumption is optimized with an intelligent energy efficiency system that reduces resource use, achieving average fuel savings of 5-6% per ship.
The vessel also implements 100% selective waste collection and recycles materials such as plastic, paper, glass, and aluminum. These practices are part of an integrated approach focused on circular economy projects.
In the words of Giuseppe Carino, Senior Vice President of Sea-Land Experience Operations at Costa Cruises, “Costa, as part of Carnival Corporation, is committed to leading the way in sustainable cruising. After being the first to introduce LNG on cruise ships, together with our sister brand AIDA Cruises, we are now also the first cruise line to use this technology in Dubai.” He added, “In this direction, we are also developing onshore energy technology across our fleet and working on biofuels, new technologies, and alternative fuels.”.
The Costa Smeralda arrived in Dubai on December 21st after completing its repositioning cruise around Africa from the Mediterranean. Until the end of February 2025, the ship will be in its winter season in the United Arab Emirates, offering weekly cruises from Dubai with itineraries that include Muscat (Oman), Doha (Qatar), and Abu Dhabi. On March 1st, 2025, the Costa Smeralda will depart Dubai for its return to the Mediterranean on a 37-day cruise. This itinerary includes stops in Oman, Mauritius, South Africa, Namibia, the Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, France (Corsica), and will arrive in Genoa on April 7th, 2025.
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