• An official crest exchange ceremony celebrated the arrival of AIDAnova, operated by AIDA Cruises, an important milestone for the Costa Group six months ahead of the arrival of its second LNG-powered ship, Costa Smeralda, which will be the new flagship for Costa Cruises.
  • Costa Group, to which AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises belong, shows its commitment to the environment, sustainability, and innovation with the incorporation of these vessels, unique in the sector, to its fleet.

Barcelona, April 26, 2019 – Today at Barcelona Port a traditional crest exchange took place on board AIDAnova for celebrating her very first call to this important port of the Mediterranean. AIDAnova is the world’s first cruise ship to run on low-emission liquefied natural gas (LNG) in port and at sea, thanks to its dual-fuel engines on board.

At the cutting edge of technology with its AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises brands, The Costa Group, along with its sister brands within Carnival Corporation’s global portfolio, has been an industry leader in promoting and developing sustainable and environmental solutions.

“At AIDAnova, we have assembled a wide variety of products with exceptional enthusiasm and creativity. We are very proud to operate the most environmentally friendly cruise ship and will continue along this path” said Felix Eichhorn, AIDA President, who welcomed with Captain Boris Becker numerous representatives from national institutions, industry, and tourism on board this state-of-the-art cruise ship on the day.

In addition to the use of LNG for cruise ships, Costa Group and Carnival Corporation’s global cruise brands have been industry leaders in pioneering the use of Advanced Air Quality System (AAQS) in the small confines of a cruise ship. Considered an environmental breakthrough, AAQS is already installed on over 70 percent of ships in the Costa Group and Carnival Corporation fleet. The use of LNG and AAQS both play an important role in further improving the impact of Costa Group’s marine operations.

At the same time, AIDAnova arrives to Barcelona port, the largest cruise port which offers the possibility of refuelling with the lowest emission fuel currently available in shipping. Thanks to a partnership with Shell, the cruise ship will also be regularly supplied with liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the Spanish metropolis.

“We are delighted to receive AIDAnova in Barcelona,” said Francesco Muglia, General Manager for Spain & Portugal of Costa Cruises. “This ship together with the arrival of Costa Smeralda in October prove the firm commitment of Costa Group to sustainability and technology while contributes to the cruise industry making sustainable tourism a fundamental part of our industry leadership.” 

Until early November 2019, AIDAnova will offer seven-day trips to some of the most popular destinations among German guests in the Mediterranean region – Civitavecchia (Rome), La Spezia (Florence), Marseille and Barcelona. The Spanish port is not only the second port of change for these trips. In Barcelona, AIDAnova will also be regularly supplied with low-emission LNG from April 26, 2019.

The Costa Smeralda will call Barcelona on her first cruise on October 30th, 2019 and will have her christening ceremony in grand style in Savona on November 3, 2019. The six-day inaugural cruise will depart from Savona on November 4, 2019, and sail to Barcelona, Marseilles, and Civitavecchia (Rome). Costa Smeralda will then continue to sail around the Western Mediterranean until April 2021, offering one-week cruises including Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Civitavecchia/Rome, and La Spezia.