German cruise line AIDA Cruises, part of Carnival Corporation, has recorded the highest monthly value for shore power usage by ensuring the supply of its ships with green energy from shore during 45 calls at European ports in June 2024. This value exceeds the consumption achieved in the whole of 2023.
All AIDA ships that will be deployed in Northern Europe in 2024 can use green shore power, AIDA Cruises stated, adding that the ships can now use shore power for the first time in all German ports. The cruise line noted that Kiel and Rostock-Warnemünde have had the necessary infrastructure since 2021, and in Hamburg-Altona, the system for cruise ships was put into operation in 2017.
Expansion is also progressing in other European countries. AIDA Cruises is supporting ports such as Stockholm, Oslo and Rotterdam as a pilot partner for the commissioning of their shore power systems. Furthermore, the company said it welcomes the plans of other countries in the North and Baltic Sea regions as well as the Mediterranean.
Dirk Inger, SVP of Public Affairs, Communication & Sustainability at AIDA Cruises, commented: “Shore power is an important element for decarbonization, as our ships spend an average of 40 percent of their travel time in ports. With our ship-side investments in this technology, we are actively supporting the European Union’s goals of building a shore power infrastructure in ports of the Trans-European Transport Network by 2030.”
AIDA Cruises claimed that the company has been taking this technology into account when planning and building its ships since 2004.
To note, in addition to the use of shore power and liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a bridging technology, AIDA Cruises is expanding the use of alternative energy sources to operate its cruise ships. As part of Carnival Corporation, the company is aiming for net-zero emissions in the ship operations of its fleet by 2050.
At the beginning of 2024, AIDA Cruises launched AIDA Evolution, the largest fleet modernization program in the company’s history, to make its ships future-proof and more environmentally friendly. The company aims to reduce fuel consumption, increase energy efficiency and conserve resources.