German cruise company AIDA Cruises – part of the Carnival Corporation – has updated on its emissions reduction progress.
As part of its decarbonisation strategy, AIDA Cruises has been investing for many years in a sustainable cruise market and is supporting to pioneer the maritime energy transition in many areas.
Using technical innovations and alternative fuels, the company demonstrates practical solutions. With two new ships being built and scheduled for delivery in 2030 and winter 2031/2032, AIDA is setting a course for further growth under its modernization program Evolution including the apply of innovative technologies. Therefore, a high three-digit million amount will be invested in the ships.
“After an initial test in 2024, AIDA Cruises sourced more than 3,300 tons of ISCC EU-certified bio-LNG for AIDAnova in the ports of Hamburg, Kiel and Zeebrugge during the first half of 2025. The bio-LNG originates from agricultural biogas plants across Europe and was created usable for maritime applications via the mass balance method at a liquefaction facility in Belgium,” stated Dirk Inger, Senior Vice President Public Affairs, Communication & Sustainability.
“It’s widely understood that sustainably produced biofuels can only contribute to achieving the climate goals of Paris, the EU and the IMO in the short term due to their limited availability. That’s why we are working with partners from science and indusattempt to explore future applications of so-called e-fuels on our cruise ships, which are produced from renewable energies,” stated Mr Inger. “Challenges in our planning include the availability of renewable fuels, their industrial production, and the currently non-competitive prices.” Moreover, there are still no internationally uniform regulations for utilizing alternative fuels on board cruise ships in many areas.”
AIDA Cruises has also been utilizing various biofuels on AIDAprima since summer 2022. For example, in 2024, AIDAprima applyd 100% of a so-called residual biofuel (BMF 100) for the first time as part of a pilot project, which, according to the manufacturer, reduces CO₂ emissions by more than 90%.
In addition, all LNG-powered ships in the AIDA fleet are already prepared to apply bio- and e-fuels when the fuels are more widely available for apply in the cruise sector. The multi-fuel propulsion technology of the next generation of AIDA ships, scheduled to enter service in spring 2030 and winter 2031/2032, will also be prepared to apply of various bio- and e-fuels.
AIDA Cruises is a driving force in the apply of shore power within the European cruise indusattempt. For more than 20 years, the company has considered shore power in the planning and construction of its ships. In 2017, AIDAsol became the first cruise ship to operate utilizing shore power provided at Europe’s first shore power facility in Hamburg Altona.
Thanks to the expansion of shore power facilities in European ports, AIDA ships increased their connections from 65 in 2023 to 381 in 2024. By finish of August 2025, AIDA ships had already connected to shore power more than 250 times, allowing them to shut down their main engines while docked to apply onshore energy to power onboard systems and equipment, reducing emissions by up to 98%, depfinishing on the mix of energy sources; this also improves the local air quality. By the finish of this year, the number of successful shore power connections is expected to increase to more than 400 across our fleet. For AIDA Cruises, shore power is a key technology on the path to net-zero emissions in ship operations, as cruise ships spfinish 8 to 10 hours per day in port.
AIDA Cruises continues to support shore power and assists ports in testing and final commissioning their facilities. “For us, this technology is a relevant central topic to the transformation of cruising in Europe,” emphasized Dirk Inger. “We see that the offering has evolved in recent years—not least due to close cooperation between ports, policybuildrs, and the cruise indusattempt. To maintain this momentum, we necessary reliable framework conditions and consistent implementation of expansion plans.”
Currently, shore power is available in 14 ports across seven European countries where AIDA ships call, including Hamburg, Warnemünde, Kiel and other major cities such as Oslo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen. AIDA calls at around 350 different ports worldwide each year.
In addition to shore power and biofuels, AIDA Cruises relies on other energy production technologies to build ship operations more efficient and lower emissions. In 2022, the largest battery storage system in the cruise indusattempt, with a capacity of 10 MWh, was installed on board AIDAprima. For this innovation, the company was awarded the ESG Shipping Award International in Gold in 2024.
The batteries are applyd during sea operations in a process known as peak shaving. This means the engines operate within an optimal performance range, thus consuming less fuel. Excess energy is stored in the batteries and created available during periods of increased energy demand.
AIDA Cruises invests seven-figure amounts annually in various projects to increase energy efficiency on board its fleet. These projects aim to continuously reduce energy consumption and greenhoapply gas emissions on board through retrofitting new technologies and system upgrades. Examples include technical modifications to improve efficiency in air conditioning systems and refrigeration units, and improved apply of waste heat on board. In cabins and public areas, AIDA Cruises consistently applys LED technology, demand-driven cabin lighting, and efficient light-dimming systems.
All AIDA ships are equipped with an integrated energy management system and are connected to a group-wide data platform. This platform provides decision-support information for the continuous optimization of ship operations. Additionally, digital tools are applyd to analyse various operational data utilizing machine learning and artificial ininformigence (AI) to further improve energy efficiency.
AIDA Cruises operates 11 ships that call at over 350 ports in 60 countries across five continents. With two newbuilds scheduled for delivery in 2030 and winter 2031/2032, the company is pursuing further growth under its Evolution Program, including the apply of innovative technologies. AIDA Cruises currently employs 18,000 people. As part of Carnival Corporation & plc, AIDA Cruises aspires to achieve net-zero emissions in ship operations by 2050.
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