Felix Eichhorn News

German cruise operator AIDA Cruises, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, has for the first time started to use biofuels in regular ship operations as part of its CO2 emissions reduction efforts.On July 21, 2022, during its layover in Rotterdam, AIDAprima became the first larger scale cruise ship to be bunkered with a blend of marine biofuel from Dutch supplier GoodFuels made from 100% sustainable raw materials such as waste cooking oil, and marine gas oil (MGO).

The first building-block for AIDA Cruises’ second LNG-fueled cruise ship was put in place at the Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock, Germany.The two trainees, Charleen Hoffmann (AIDA Cruises) and Kenny Schaft (Meyer Werft shipyard) placed the traditional lucky coin beneath the first of a total of 90 blocks.On the occasion of the keel-laying, the name of the new ship and its first routing were announced: the ship will be named AIDAcosma, and will be cruising from Kiel to the Norwegian fjords and the Baltic Sea from summer 2021.Together with the Managing Director of the Meyer Werft shipyard Tim Meyer and the head of the Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock Manfred Ossevorth…

Carnival Corporation announced its Germany-based brand, AIDA Cruises, has partnered with leaders from the maritime and engineering sectors to pilot the world’s first fuel cell system designed to power large passenger vessels. As early as 2021, AIDA Cruises will trial this innovative fuel technology on AIDAnova, becoming the cruise industry’s first brand to trial fuel cells on a large cruise ship.The research project, named “Pa-X-ell2,” is designed to develop fuel cells that are powered by hydrogen derived from methanol…

Carnival Corporation's Germany brand AIDA Cruises and Corvus Energy have signed a deal to retrofit the AIDAperla with a 10MW battery pack, the largest to date set to be featured on a cruise vessel."The order is for a 10MWh Energy Storage System (ESS) to be installed on board AIDAperla in 2020. AIDAperla, built in 2017, has the capacity of 3300 passengers and a crew of 900," said the British Columbia-based developer of maritime energy storage solutions.When installed on AIDAperla, battery storage system can electrify ship's propulsion and operations - another major advancement in corporation's innovative "green cruising" strategy, it said.“Corvus Energy is an important partner for us,” said AIDA President, Felix Eichhorn.

AIDA Cruises' newest ship AIDAnova recognized with prestigious international certification for excellence  in environmentally friendly ship design by Germany's Federal Ministry for the Environment.Carnival Corporation, the world's largest leisure travel company and the owner of German brand AIDA Cruises, said that AIDAnova features several innovative approaches to "green cruising," including being the first cruise ship capable of being powered in port or at sea by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the world's cleanest burning fossil fuel.Blue Angel is a certification program of Germany's Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety.

On August 15, 2019, the first steel cut took place at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg for the sister ship of AIDAnova, a world’s first cruise ship that is fully powered with liquefied natural gas (LNG). With the official start of construction for the second ship of this innovative AIDA ship generation to be put into service in spring 2021, the company is continuing its course and making a further contribution to reduced emissions in cruising. As early as 2023, the third LNG cruise ship of AIDA Cruises, “Made in Germany,” will set sail.

The world’s first  liquefied natural gas (LNG) cruise ship, AIDAnova, was christened on August 31 at Meyer Werft  shipyard in Papenburg.The spectacular naming ceremony took place at the completely sold-out AIDA Open Air at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, attended by 25,000 spectators. The highlight of the evening was the biggest solo headline show by star DJ / producer David Guetta.“AIDAnova’s naming ceremony was a special event in a special place: We are delighted that we were able to stage the AIDA Open Air in Papenburg at the Meyer Werft shipyard, so that we could share our enthusiasm about our new ship with so many people.

The number of liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered ships on order for AIDA Cruises has risen to three following the latest shipbuilding contract announced today by the German cruise line’s parent company Carnival Corporation & plc. Carnival said it signed a shipbuilding contract with German shipbuilder Meyer Werft GmbH to build another new 180,000-ton ship that will be fully powered at sea and in port by LNG. The vessel will be built at Meyer Werft’s Papenburg shipyard for delivery in 2023. By that time, more than half of AIDA Cruises’ ships will run fully or partially on LNG.

While the cruise industry grows globally in earnest, this maritime niche is under the microscope like no other, operating high profile, high design billion dollar ships in and out of some of the most pristine places on the planet. Tasked to keep the company’s ships running efficiently and environmentally sound is John Haeflinger, VP of maritime policy and analysis, who directly oversees the sustainability team at Carnival Corp. Haeflinger shares with Maritime Reporter & Engineering News his insights on the tech and technique to keep today and tomorrow’s fleet running clean and efficient.

German shipbuilder Meyer Werft has laid the keel for AIDAnova, set to become the first cruise ship worldwide that will operate both at sea and in port fueled with liquefied natural gas (LNG). With AIDAnova’s first building block lowered into place on September 6, 2017, Carnival Corporation & plc officially marked the start of construction of seven fully LNG powered cruise ships due to be commissioned between 2018 and 2022 for four of its 10 cruise ship brands. The seven vessels for Carnival Cruise Lines…

AIDA Cruises has taken delivery of the 12th vessel of its fleet, AIDAperla, from Japanese shipbuilder Mitshubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). The vessel was commissioned April 27 at a ceremony in Nagasaki, Japan in the presence of Michael Thamm, CEO Costa Group; Felix Eichhorn, President AIDA Cruises; Shunichi Miyanaga, President and CEO MHI; and Kazuaki Kimura, President and CEO, Industry & Infrastructure MHI. In the coming days AIDAperla will set sail for the Mediterranean where the vessel will be christened by model and presenter Lena Gercke on June 30, 2017, in Palma de Mallorca.

Lena Gercke will christen AIDAperla, the 12th member of the AIDA fleet, in Palma de Mallorca on June 30, 2017. In Germany, Gercke is among the most famous and successful models and presenters. The skyline of the old city of Palma will form the perfect backdrop when the night sky above AIDAperla is transformed into a sparkling sea of color during a spectacular music and lighting event. “With her natural charm and vitality, Lena Gercke is the ideal godmother of AIDAperla. I’m delighted that she will christen our new vessel.

German shipbuilder MEYER WERFT held a steel cutting ceremony on February 21 in Papenburg marking the ceremonial start of construction for the newest cruise liner for Rostock-based cruise company AIDA Cruises. The new cruise ship will be the world’s first capable of operating completely on liquefied natural gas (LNG). Felix Eichhorn, President of AIDA Cruises, pressed the start button of the computer-controlled cutting machine to commence work on the first steel plate for the next generation of AIDA cruise ships.

American/British owned German cruise line AIDA Cruises has launched its first marketing campaign on the Chinese market. From April 2017, with AIDAbella, AIDA Cruises will, for the first time, deploy a ship in China all year round and, in close cooperation with Costa Asia, be offering cruise vacation “Made in Germany” from Shanghai as a new product for the booming Chinese market. Michael Thamm, CEO of the Costa Group, said, “The ongoing growth of AIDA has made Germany the second biggest cruise market in the world.

Carnival Corporation & plc officially welcomed its fleet’s newest ship with the christening of AIDAprima, now the flagship vessel for Carnival’s German-based brand AIDA Cruises. AIDAprima made its debut with a light show and naming ceremony witnessed in person by 1.6 million visitors at the 827th Hamburg Port Anniversary. AIDAprima launched as the corporation’s most environmentally friendly ship, equipped with a dual-fuel engine that can be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) while in port and at sea.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) completed delivery of the AIDAprima, the first of two large cruise ships being built for AIDA Cruises at MHI's Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works. A ceremony to mark the occasion was attended by Michael Thamm, CEO of the Costa Group, and Felix Eichhorn, President of AIDA Cruises, representing the new owner, and Shunichi Miyanaga, President and CEO, and Yoichi Kujirai, Senior Executive Vice President and President/CEO of Commercial Aviation & Transportation Systems, representing MHI.

Young actress Emma Schweiger will christen AIDAprima, the new flagship of AIDA Cruises, as part of the 827th Hamburg Port Anniversary on May 7, 2016. The German cruise company made the announcement on March 11, 2016, during the ITB in Berlin. Emma Schweiger greeted all guests via video message. The 13-year-old has already captivated millions of people with roles in hit movies such as Rabbit Without Ears (Keinohrhasen), Rabbit Without Ears 2 (Zweiohrküken), Kokowääh and Head Full of Honey (Honig im Kopf). “Emma is perfect for the role of AIDAprima godmother.

AIDA Cruises will help the Port of Hamburg ring in its 827th anniversary with the christening if its new flagship, AIDAprima. AIDA Cruises will christen its 11th ship, AIDAprima, in Hamburg on May 7, 2016 as part of the celebrations for the 827th Hamburg Port Anniversary. From April 30, 2016, Hamburg will be the home port for AIDAprima’s seven-day round trips to Western Europe metropolises such as London, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. “With AIDAprima, we are opening a new chapter in the history of the cruise industry,” said Felix Eichhorn, President AIDA Cruises.

The Chinese cruise market, expected to become the world’s largest based on surging demand for cruise vacations by Chinese travelers, will see the arrival of two additional cruise brands in 2017 as Carnival Corporation & plc further expand its operations in the nation. Carnival Cruise Line and AIDA Cruises will join Costa Cruises and Princess Cruises in the Chinese market, making Carnival Corporation the first company to operate four brands in China, the company said today in announcing its plans for further development in China.

Carnival Corporation & plc announced that Michael Ungerer, currently President of Germany-based AIDA Cruises, has been appointed Chief Operations Officer-Shared Services for Carnival Asia, effective September 1, 2015. Ungerer will relocate to Shanghai, China, and directly support each of the Carnival Corporation brands operating in the region to leverage the company's industry-leading presence and scale in the region. Ungerer will jointly report to Michael Thamm, CEO of the Costa Group, which includes AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises, and to a China steering committee comprising the Carnival Corporation brands operating in the region. In addition, longtime AIDA senior executive Felix Eichhorn has been named president of AIDA Cruises. He will also report to Thamm.