AIDAnova, the newest vessel in AIDA Cruises’ fleet, was fueled with liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the first time in the Mediterranean on April 26.
The operation was undertaken in Europe’s biggest cruise port Barcelona, where the LNG-powered cruise ship made its maiden call last week.
Alongside Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona is the second start-and- end destination for AIDAnova’s seven-day cruises in the Mediterranean. With Carnival Corporation’s partnership with Shell Western LNG B.V. (Shell), the vessel will be regularly supplied with LNG at the Spanish port.
Today, #AIDAnova from our @aida_de brand became the world’s first #LNG powered cruise ship to call on the @portdebarcelona and the first to be fueled with LNG in the Mediterranean. https://t.co/KLX8RCwIan pic.twitter.com/8klSJiVPqZ
— Carnival Corporation (@CarnivalPLC) April 26, 2019
Commissioned in December 2008, with four dual-fuel engines and three gas tanks on board, AIDAnova is the world’s first cruise ship that will be operated in port and at sea with low-emission liquefied natural gas, according to Carnival Corporation.
Until the beginning of November 2019, AIDAnova will be sailing seven-day cruises, calling at destinations in the Mediterranean – Civitavecchia (Rome), La Spezia (Florence), Marseille and Barcelona.
Two additional ships of this new AIDA generation will join the AIDA fleet in 2021 and 2023.