AIDA Cruises: start of construction for the second LNG cruise ship at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg
On August 15, 2019, the first steel cut took place at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg for the sister ship of AIDAnova, the world’s first cruise ship that is fully powered with low-emission liquefied natural gas (LNG). Just a few days ago, AIDA Cruises was awarded the Blue Angel, the German Federal Government’s ecolabel for AIDAnova’s environmentally friendly ship design.
With the official start of construction for the second ship of this innovative AIDA ship generation to be put into service in spring 2021, the company is continuing its course and making a further contribution to reduced emissions in cruising. As early as 2023, the third LNG cruise ship of AIDA Cruises, “Made in Germany,” will set sail. Through the use of LNG emissions of particulate matter and sulfur oxides are almost completely eliminated, nitrogen oxide and CO2 emissions are sustainably reduced.
AIDA President Felix Eichhorn said, “By 2023, around half of all AIDA guests will be sailing on our state-of-the-art LNG ships that stand apart with many further technical innovations for greater efficiency, less fuel consumption and conserved resources.
At the same time, we are offering our guests on board our ships an extraordinary variety of individual vacation options, innovative entertainment and culinary concepts that provide lasting impulses to the vacation market in Germany.”
With an investment of around two billion euros just for the construction of both ships in Germany, the company is contributing to the economy and to the creation of secure jobs in the shipbuilding and maritime supply industry.
AIDA Cruises is also a trailblazer in many other areas that contribute to the energy transition. By the end of 2020, twelve of fourteen AIDA ships will be equipped for shoreside energy from renewable sources. Parallel to this, AIDA Cruise is currently exploring the use of fuel cells, batteries and liquefied gas from renewable sources in cruising. The company plans to test the first fuel cell unit on board an AIDA vessel in 2021.
Technical data:
Shipyard: Meyer Werft, Papenburg (Germany)
First steel cut: August 15, 2019
Commissioning: Spring 2021
Length: 337 meters
Width: 42 meters
Max. draft: 8.80 m
Gross tonnage: 183,900 GT
Decks: 20
Number of staterooms: 2,600
Crew: approx. 1,500
Video premiere: drone race on AIDAprima
The new flagship from AIDA Cruises, AIDAprima, will once again be the showplace of spectacular scenes: two racing drones race through the vessel. As of today the video can be seen on www.aida.de, youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC8Q0unTriI) and social media channels.In ... [more]
Travel with AIDA to the most exciting children’s playgrounds
Summer time is vacation time! This summer, during the best weeks of the year, AIDA Cruises is offering its youngest guests a thrilling adventure program both on shore and on board the AIDA ships. The cruise company now has an extended excursion program in store for the whole ... [more]
20 years of AIDA – A success story celebrates its anniversary
AIDA Cruises is celebrating its anniversary: Twenty years ago today, on June 7, 1996, the first ship in the AIDA fleet was christened by former first lady Christiane Herzog in Rostock/Germany and put into service. From the very beginning, AIDA has stood for innovation and ... [more]