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Carnival Corporation has announced that "over the coming weeks", its LNG-powered AIDA Cruises vessel, the AIDAperla, will be supplied with LNG while docked at the Mediterranean ports of Barcelona (Spain), Marseille (France) and Civitavecchia (Italy).

Carnival says it is also currently in discussion with authorities in Palma de Mallorca (Spain).

The cruise operator already tested the practical application of this technology back in 2016 with AIDAperla's twin ship, AIDAprima. On May 7, 2016, following its christening in Hamburg, the AIDAprima was launched as the world's first cruise ship that can be operated on LNG whilst in port.

Shortly afterwards, the cruise ship was bunkered with LNG in the ports of Southampton (UK), Le Havre (France), Zeebrugge (Belgium) and Rotterdam (Netherlands).

The AIDAprima ended its northern Europe season in mid-November 2017 after 18 months. In its current cruise region, around the Canaries and Madeira, AIDA Cruises says it is working with local partners to organize the supply of LNG in Funchal, Portugal.

Next autumn, the first cruise ship to be powered by LNG both in port and at sea, the AIDAnova, is due to be commissioned. A second, twin ship is slated for completion in 2021.