AIDAnova became the world’s first newbuild cruise ship powered primarily by liquefied natural gas.
The ship entered service in December 2018 for AIDA Cruises, a German brand owned by Carnival Corporation. It was built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, and was designed to use LNG for both its main engines and onboard energy needs.
LNG produces lower sulfur oxide and particulate emissions than conventional marine fuels, although it remains a fossil fuel and its overall climate impact depends on methane leakage and the full fuel cycle. AIDAnova was therefore an important milestone in the cruise industry’s move toward alternative propulsion fuels.
Costa Smeralda followed as another major LNG-powered cruise ship, but it was not the first newbuild in this category. AIDAnova’s significance is specifically its status as the first cruise ship constructed from the outset for LNG operation, rather than a later conversion.