AIDA: LNG Bunkers are the Future for the Cruise Ship Sector

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Thursday October 16, 2014

According to Carnival's AIDA Cruises Chief Sustainability Officer Monika Griefahn, liquefied natural gas (LNG) is "the future for cruise ship design," reports IHS Maritime 360. 

"For us, shoreside energy is more expensive and only an intermediate solution until delays in licensing and distribution for LNG in ports are resolved," she said. 

Upcoming emission control area (ECA) regulations, which limits sulphur content in marine fuel used in ECAs to 0.10 percent by weight or lower, has hastened LNG infrastructure around the world.

The rules come into effect January 1,2015.

Speakers at the Greenport Conference in Barcelona said that the public still had questions on the safety of LNG as fuel, but that Norway's excellent LNG track record thus far has proved to be a positive example. 

International classification society DNV GL suggested that cruise lines looking for immediate solutions to comply with ECAs could upgrade the central section of cruise ships currently in service.

Traditional engines could be replaced with LNG-capable or hybrid engines and fuel tanks in less than a month during the winter season, it said. 

Becker Marine Systems announced earlier that its new LNG hybrid barge would begin providing energy to AIDA cruises later this month.