On May 30, 2015, AIDA Cruises and Becker Marine Systems celebrated a world premiere in the Port of Hamburg. Upon successful completion of the final technical tests, AIDAsol was provided during its lay time in Hamburg’s HafenCity for the first time with low-emission electricity from liquefied natural gas (LNG) via the LNG Hybrid Barge.

“With this pilot project for the energy supply of cruise ships using LNG while being berthed in ports, which is thus far unique worldwide, we have opened a new chapter for environmental protection in the port of Hamburg,” said AIDA President Michael Ungerer.

After successful test operation of individual board systems, AIDAsol is to be supplied with energy for the first time completely via the LNG Hybrid Barge with the next call of port in Hamburg (June 9, 2015).

The LNG Hybrid Barge functions as a floating power plant. In the gas processing plant, the cryogenic (-163°C), liquid gas is heated and then passed on to the generators, which produce electricity for the operation of the ship while in port. The power provided by a total of five gas motors on the LNG Hybrid Barge is 7.5 megawatts.

Thanks to the use of liquefied natural gas in the energy supply of ships, emissions and particle discharge will be significantly reduced. Compared to the use of conventional marine diesel with 0.1 percent sulfur content, no sulfur oxides and no soot particles are emitted. Nitrogen oxide emissions will be reduced by up to 80% and carbon dioxide emissions by 30%.

Becker Marine Systems was honored recently with the GreenTec Award 2015 of the DRV (German Travel Association) in the category “Travel” for the LNG Hybrid Barge project developed together with AIDA Cruises.

In the spring of 2016, the first ship of the new AIDA generation, AIDAprima, will call for the first time its future home port Hamburg. AIDAprima is the first cruise ship with a shore power connection, a comprehensive system for exhaust gas aftertreatment, and a dual fuel engine. This can also be operated with LNG, depending on availability.

Detailed information on the environmental commitment of AIDA Cruises can be found at www.aida.de/aidacares.