AIDA Cruises Invests 100 Million Euros Into Protecting the Environment

August 29, 2013 /3BL Media/ - AIDA Cruises is once again setting environmental protection standards with its upcoming generation of ships that will be put into service in 2015 and 2016. The new ships will feature a comprehensive filter system to reduce emissions.

AIDA President Michael Ungerer: "With this as yet unrivaled exhaust treatment technology, we are able to filter and thus reduce by between 90 and 99 percent all three emissions, namely soot particles, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur oxides, for the very first time. This comprehensive filter concept is a milestone for AIDA Cruises, but also for the cruise industry as a whole."

The filter design:

The system developed within the Carnival Group for treating emissions relies on cutting-edge technology with an especially compact design that is revolutionary because it can technically accommodate all relevant treatment processes. Nitrogen oxides are chemically bound in a catalytic converter and soot and fuel residues are precipitated in a filter. The sulfur oxides are removed in a scrubber without any chemicals being added.

With this quantum leap in technology, AIDA Cruises has once again demonstrated that it is a technology leader.

Fleet retrofitting and innovative eco-technology development

"We don't just want to set new standards with our new ships - we want to continually improve the eco-balance of our entire fleet. This is why we will also be fitting our other ships with the new comprehensive filter system. The first one to be retrofitted as soon as October 2013 will be AIDAcara, the oldest ship in the AIDA fleet," says Michael Ungerer. AIDA Cruises will invest a total of about 100 million euros into environmental and climate protection by 2016. This sum is part of an extensive investment program.

In addition to retrofitting the existing fleet with the new filter technology, AIDA Cruises is focusing on additional innovative concepts in order to also reduce emissions while the ship is docked. Monika Griefahn, Chief Sustainability Officer at AIDA Cruises: "AIDA ships spend 40 percent of their operating hours in a port. When one considers that, it becomes clear how important our measures for reducing emissions are when the ship is moored."

AIDAsol ready for shoreside power

AIDA Cruises has already prepared all ships that have been put into service since 2007 for shoreside power. In July 2013, AIDAsol was the first ship in the fleet to be completely equipped for shoreside power. AIDAsol can thus already be powered right now with ecofriendly shoreside power wherever the infrastructure is available.

LNG barge for Hamburg

The cruise line also teamed up with Becker Marine Systems to develop a groundbreaking alternative concept, the LNG hybrid barge. It will be put into operation in Hamburg during the 2014 cruise season. "This new technology enables us to operate cruise ships in the Hamburg port with the lowest emissions and in the most eco-friendly manner to date. We are thus playing an important role in protecting the environment and improving the quality of life for everyone who lives in the vicinity of the Hamburg port," explains Monika Griefahn. In contrast to using traditional marine diesel with 0.1 percent sulfur, emissions from using liquefied natural gas to generate power on the LNG hybrid barge will once again be considerably reduced: Emissions from sulfur oxide and soot particles will be completely prevented. Nitrogen oxide emissions will be reduced by up to 80 percent, and carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent.

AIDA has the 3-liter ship

In addition to reducing emissions, increased efficiency is a key factor in ecofriendly ship operation. The ships in the AIDA fleet already only use an average of 3 liters of fuel over 100 kilometers of sailing for every person on board. This was confirmed in an independent report prepared by Germanischer Lloyd experts.

AIDA Cruises wants to make this number even better by using new technologies. For example, the next generation of AIDA ships will be the first cruise ships in the world to feature the innovative MALS technology (MALS =Mitsubishi Air Lubrication System). This system enables the ships to glide on an air-bubble carpet. It saves seven percent of the operating power.

In addition, the next generation of AIDA ships will feature what are known as dual-fuel engines. They can also be operated using eco-friendly liquefied natural gas.

AIDA Cruises publishes detailed information about its environmental commitment and anyone can check out the information revealed in the annual sustainability report AIDA cares. It is available at www.aida.de/aidacares.

Rostock, 8/29/2013

About AIDA Cruises
As a cruise line and tour operator, AIDA Cruises currently operates and markets a fleet of 10 state-of-the-art cruise ships. AIDAaura, AIDAbella, AIDAcara, AIDAdiva, AIDAvita, AIDAluna, AIDAblu, AIDAsol, AIDAmar, and AIDAstella all belong to this fleet. The fleet's trademark is the characteristic lips on the prow of the ship. The ships are operated in compliance with the highest international quality, environmental, and safety standards. The AIDA fleet will expand to 12 ships by 2016. www.aida.de

AIDA Cruises Press Contact:
Hansjörg Kunze
Vice President PR & Communication
Tel.: +49 (0) 381 / 444-80 20
presse@aida.de

About Becker Marine Systems:
The Hamburg-based company is the market leader for high-performance rudders and products used in maneuvering for all types of ships. Becker's rudder systems have become established as a fixture in the world market and represent the first choice both for super tankers and for container ships, passenger ferries, large cruise ships and luxury yachts. www.becker-marine-systems.com

Becker Marine Systems Press Contact:
envise OHG
Ralph Lehmann
Tel.: +49 (0) 40 / 3009288-0
r.lehmann@envise.de