German shipbuilder Meyer Werft has cut the first steel for the next cruise ship for AIDA Cruises.
The steel cutting ceremony was held in Papenburg on August 15, marking the start of production of the new cruise vessel.
The newbuild will be fitted with an environmentally-friendly liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion system, like its sister ship AIDAnova which was delivered in late 2018.
As informed, the delivery is planned for spring 2021. Meyer Werft will deliver another vessel in this class to AIDA Cruises in 2023.
“We are very pleased to work with AIDA Cruises and Carnival Corporation at further establishing LNG as a fuel in the cruise industry. We will also be implementing other innovative technologies on board this ship,” Stephan Schmees, Executive Board Member Project Management Ships at Meyer Werft, said.
With a length of 337 meters and a width of 42 meters, the new ship for AIDA Cruises will have a capacity for around 2,600 cabins, with a rating of 183,900 GT.
The new generation of ships for AIDA Cruises uses LNG engines which fulfill the strictest environmental regulations. This class of ships has been developed and designed with a focus on energy efficiency, according to Meyer Werft.
