AIDA Cruises President Felix Eichhorn welcomed Dieter Janecek, the federal government coordinator for the maritime economy and tourism, and Dirk Inger, the managing director of the German Travel Association DRV, onboard the AIDAnova at Hamburg’s Steinwerder Cruise Center on December 22.

The discussions focused on the development of the cruise industry and AIDA Cruises’ sustainability strategy as well as the measures the brand is taking to meet its climate goals. The use of shore power was also discussed.

“Together with our partners here in Hamburg, but also in many other European ports, we are committed to sustainable cruise tourism. We are pleased that, thanks to the newly built facility in Hamburg Steinwerder, we will be able to use shore power for the first time in German ports with all AIDA ships in 2024. By using this technology, we are actively supporting the EU goals of building a shore power infrastructure by 2030,” said Eichhorn.

Other topics addressed during the visit included AIDA’s efforts toward greater energy efficiency, resource conservation and a circular economy. The cruise line has already implemented a variety of innovative solutions onboard its ships, including in the areas of air conditioning, heat and energy recovery, lighting and water management.

In addition, all recyclable materials are segregated onboard, prepared for recycling onshore and delivered to certified disposal companies in ports. To conserve freshwater resources ashore, all AIDA ships use reverse osmosis plants to produce freshwater from seawater.