---

On May 30, 2015, Carnival Group brand AIDA Cruises, and Becker Marine Systems, celebrated a world's first at the Port of Hamburg. Upon completion of the final technical tests, AIDAsol was provided during its lay time at Hamburg's HafenCity for the first time with low-emission electricity from liquefied natural gas (LNG) via the LNG Hybrid Barge.

"With this pilot project for the energy supply of cruise ships using LNG while being berthed in ports, which is thus far unique worldwide, we have opened a new chapter for environmental protection in the port of Hamburg," said AIDA President Michael Ungerer in a statement.

After what Carnival describes as the "successful test operation of individual board systems", the cruise ship AIDAsol is to be supplied with energy for the first time solely via the LNG Hybrid Barge during its next call at Hamburg on June 9, 2015.

The LNG Hybrid Barge functions as a floating power plant. In the gas processing plant, the cryogenic (-163 degrees centigrade) liquid gas is heated and then passed on to the generators, which produce electricity for the operation of the ship while in port. The power provided by a total of five gas motors on the LNG Hybrid Barge is 7.5 megawatts.

"Thanks to the use of liquefied natural gas in the energy supply of ships, emissions and particle discharge will be significantly reduced. Compared to the use of conventional marine diesel with 0.1 percent sulphur content, no sulphur oxides and no soot particles are emitted. Nitrogen oxide emissions will be reduced by up to 80% and carbon dioxide emissions by 30%," Carnival said.

Becker Marine Systems was recently honoured with the GreenTec Award 2015 by the German Travel Association (DRV) for the LNG Hybrid Barge project developed together with AIDA Cruises.

In the spring of 2016, the first ship of the new AIDA generation, AIDAprima, is due to call for the first time at its home port, Hamburg.

AIDAprima is the first cruise ship with a shore power connection, a comprehensive system for exhaust gas after treatment, and a dual fuel engine. This can also be operated with LNG, depending on availability.