AIDA Cruises celebrated the start of its cruise season with AIDAsol and AIDAmar in Rostock-Warnemünde. For the first time, two cruise ships were simultaneously connected to the shore power facility in Rostock-Warnemünde which allowed them to turn off their engines and reduce noise and emissions. Rostock-Warnemünde is home to Europe’s largest shore power facility and was opened by AIDAsol in May 2021.
Felix Eichhorn, President of AIDA Cruises, said, “We are delighted by this successful shore power premiere in Rostock-Warnemünde. Thanks to the opening of further shore power facilities in European ports, we will be able to expand our commitment this year. Our goal is to be able to use shore power in all ports in the future. We therefore welcome the decisions of other ports to develop a corresponding solution. With our commitment to decarbonization, we are not only driving the energy transition in the cruise sector, we are also providing an example of how to shape local value creation in our destinations sustainably.”
AIDA Cruises has been a pioneer in the use of shore power as they have been working toward this environmentally friendly technology since their planning and construction days in 2004. It has been over ten years since Europe’s first shore power plant began with an AIDA ship in Hamburg Altona.
As part of its Green Cruising Strategy, AIDA Cruises has been a forerunner in the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and is expanding its use of shore power and battery systems as uses of alternative energy. In 2022, AIDAprima became the first large scale cruise ship to use a blended maritime biofuel. The cruise line is also working with partners to find solutions for the use of regenerative or synthetic fuels.
As part of the Carnival Corporation & plc family, AIDA cruises is working toward achieving carbon-neutral ship operations for its entire fleet by 2050.