World’s 1st LNG-Fueled Ship Christened

The world’s first cruise ship that can be powered by low-emission liquefied natural gas (LNG) both at sea and in port, AIDAnova, was christened on August 31 at Meyer Werft  shipyard in Papenburg.

The 180,000-ton vessel was floated out from Meyer Werft’s building dock on August 21. Featuring a length of 337 meters and a width of 42 meters, AIDAnova will be able to accommodate 6,600 passengers.

“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. At the same time, this event was a thank-you to our partners, to the Meyer Werft shipyard, and to the many thousands of people who have helped make AIDAnova what is already the eighth AIDA cruise ship to be built on the Ems,” said AIDA President Felix Eichhorn.

For the first time it was not just one godmother who named the ship but rather an entire family:  Sonja (31), Asad (33) Mirza, and their children Sophia (2) and Adrian (3) from Hanau.

At the end of September AIDAnova will be going on its first short trip, setting sail for Eemshaven in the Netherlands for final fit-out and sea trials. AIDA will take over the new ship from the Meyer Werft shipyard on November 15, 2018, in Bremerhaven.

Two further AIDA ships of this new generation will be built by 2023 by the Meyer Werft shipyard.