AIDAprima bunkers biofuel

On 21 July, 2022, AIDAprima became the first larger scale cruise ship to be bunkered with a blend of MGO and biofuel made from 100% sustainable raw materials such as waste cooking oil from GoodFuels.

The bunkering occurred during the vessel’s layover in Rotterdam. The trial took place while the vessel was on a seven-day cruise, visiting Hamburg, Southampton, Le Havre, and Zeebrugge.

AIDA Cruises had previously tested the use of regenerated biofuels in marine diesel engines together with research partners at the University of Rostock. Now the first roll-out has taken place in regular ship operations. The cooperation with GoodFuels is now to be developed on a long-term basis.

GoodFuels’ sustainable and certified biofuels are virtually free of SOx and offer CO2 reductions of 80 to 90% compared to fossil fuels. They are functionally equivalent to petroleum-derived fuels and can be used in already installed ship main engines without modifications to the engine or fuel infrastructure. This makes the use of biofuels in regular ship operations comparatively easy, unlike other technological investments.

The current project represents an important milestone in AIDA Cruises’ decarbonisation strategy. In addition to the use of biofuels, this includes the installation of the first fuel cell on board AIDAnova and the commissioning of what is currently the largest battery storage system in cruise shipping with a capacity of 10 megawatt hours on board AIDAprima. Furthermore, AIDA Cruises is focusing on the expansion and increased use of shore power while in port.

Felix Eichhorn, President AIDA Cruises, said, “We continue to actively explore all opportunities to decarbonise our fleet while advancing efficiency in line with international carbon intensity reduction targets. With the successful start of biofuel usage, we have proven that gradual decarbonisation is possible even on ships already in service. An important prerequisite for us as a cruise line to be able to use it is that it becomes widely available on an industrial scale and at marketable prices.”

Commenting on the partnership, Dirk Kronemeijer, CEO of GoodFuels, said: “This first bio-bunkering with AIDA Cruises marks an exciting step forward on the cruise industry’s decarbonisation pathway, demonstrating that our sustainable biofuels are a safe, technically viable and convenient option to drastically cut down emissions from passenger vessels. As the effects of climate change are felt acutely in several parts of the world, the time for action is now, and biofuels are one of the few options that can already make a difference today. We are delighted to have worked alongside the trail-blazers at AIDA Cruises in the past few months to make this milestone a reality, and we look forward to collaborating again in the future.”