AIDA Cruises publishes sustainability report for 2013

Growth means obligation. The Rostock-based cruise operator AIDA Cruises can look back not only on a successful business year in 2012, it has also continued its commitment to sustainability in a consistent manner. The company presented its “AIDA cares” 2013 sustainability report on March 12, 2013 on the occasion of the newest member of its fleet, AIDAstella, arriving in Hamburg for the first time.
AIDA Cruises has documented its commitment to the environment in a sustainability report published annually since 2007. The report is based on the Global Reporting Index (GRI) and was, for the first time, drawn up in cooperation with the company B.A.U.M. Consult GmbH this year.

In May 2012, Monika Griefahn, co-founder of Greenpeace and former Minister of the Environment of the Federal State of Lower Saxony, took over responsibility for AIDA Cruises’ commitment to sustainability as Director of Environmental and Social Issues. She summarizes the result as follows: “In 2012 we were able to achieve important progress in a large number of areas.  The fuel consumption of the AIDA fleet fell by a further 3.7% per bed per day compared with the previous year. We also reduced our sulfur emissions by 17% and, with the new ballast water treatment system on AIDAstella, we are already complying with the standards sought by the IMO. In addition, we continue to work intensively on an integrated filter concept for our ships.”

An AIDA ship consumes an average of 3 liters of fuel per person over a distance of 100 kilometers. This was confirmed by experts from Germanischer Lloyd in an independent report at the end of 2012.

However, it is not only possible to save fuel when cruising: “AIDA ships spend 40% of their operating time in port. If we bear that in mind”, explains Griefahn, “it becomes clear how necessary it is to provide more environmentally-friendly solutions for the supply of energy in port in order to improve climate protection.” All of the vessels in the AIDA fleet commissioned from 2007 on have already been prepared for the use of shore power. In 2012, AIDA Cruises launched a pilot project with the LNG Hybrid Barge for ecologically friendly and flexible power supply via liquefied natural gas (LNG) during the time ships are moored in the port of Hamburg as an alternative to shore power.

And, with its next generation of ships, AIDA Cruises continues to pursue its role as a pioneer in the use of the most modern, resource-efficient technologies. The new vessels, which will be commissioned in 2015 and 2016, will have dual-fuel engines and can also run on liquid gas in port if this is available.
In addition, the new generation of AIDA ships will be the first cruise vessels in the world to be fitted with the so-called MALS technology (Mitsubishi Air Lubrication System). This system enables the ships to glide on a cushion of air bubbles, which reduces frictional resistance, saves drive energy and cuts fuel consumption by 7%.

Detailed information about AIDA Cruises’ commitment to the environment and society can be found on the Internet at www.aida.de/aidacares.

Rostock, March 12, 2013