On Friday, April 26, AIDA Cruises and representatives from port-related businesses, tourism, and politics celebrated the first-time arrival of world's first LNG-powered cruise liner in Port Barcelona Spain.
On the same day, AIDAnova was for the first time fueled in the Mediterranean with the lowest-emission fuel currently available to the shipping industry, in Europe’s largest cruise port.
Alongside Palma de Mallorca, the port of Barcelona has become not only the 2nd start and end destination for the 7-day cruises of AIDAnova in the Mediterranean. Due to a partnership with Shell, the ship will also be regularly supplied with LNG (liquefied natural gas) at the Spanish metropolis.
With 4 dual-fuel engines and 3 gas tanks onboard, AIDAnova is the world's first cruise ship, since it was commissioned on December 12, that is operated both in port and at sea with low-emission LNG. Emissions of particulate matter and sulfur oxides are almost completely eliminated, while carbon dioxide emissions and nitrogen oxides are sustainably reduced.
It has already been over 10 years since AIDA Cruises began investing in LNG propulsion. Two further ships of the new AIDA generation are scheduled to join the fleet of AIDA in 2021 and 2023.