Carnival Corp has declared its commitment to LNG fuelling with a virtual keel-laying ceremony for the first of seven cruiseship newbuildings for its different trading brands which will be fully powered by gas both in port and at sea.
Speaking at the Hamburg event, held during the Seatrade Europe Cruise & River Cruise Convention, for the 180,000-gt plus AIDAnova, Carnival president and chief executive Arnold Douglas said the vessel represents “a step into the future for the entire cruise industry.”
Douglas described LNG as the “cleanest burning fossil fuel available” saying it exceeds all current and known future regulatory requirements on exhaust gas emissions.
He acknowledged the infrastructure and cost benefit questions remain regarding the long term future of LNG but said making the considerable investment is just one way to demonstrate Carnival’s commitment to future air quality.
Carnival has partnered with Shell Global as its LNG supplier and Douglas said the two companies are working together to develop LNG bunkering procedures and a global supply network for LNG.
AIDAnova is due to be operational from end-2018 and will operate in the Canary Islands and call at Madeira. It is being fitted with four Caterpiller main engines and three 4,800-cbm LNG fuel tanks.
Meyer Werft is building another vessel for AIDA, plus two for Costa Cruises, three for Carnival and one for P&O Cruises, all of which will be LNG-fuelled.
The ships are for delivery dates through to 2022 and will be built by the German and Finnish shipbuilders Meyer Werft and Meyer Turku.
Meyer Yard chief executive Bernhard Meyer said: “I feel this is a very special keel-laying of a new platform which will break waves in the industry.”
He said Meyer Werft had been working on LNG fuelling designs since 2006.
“Now we have finished the fight between the egg and the chicken,” he said, adding that it was a very emotional day for him
