MHI delivers LNG-fuelled cruise ship

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI) has announced that it has completed delivery of the first of two large cruise ships being built for AIDA Cruises at MHI's Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works.

The AIDAprima is the world's first cruise ship equipped with the Mitsubishi Air Lubrication System (MALS), MHI's proprietary technology that enhances fuel efficiency. The LNG-fuelled cruise ship also includes a pod propulsion system, the latest gas emissions treatment system, and a new air-conditioning system that saves on energy consumption by using waste heat. The AIDAprima is also equipped with state-of-the-art technologies to ensure safety onboard

The cruise ship has now set sail for Hamburg, Germany, from the Nagasaki Shipyard in Japan. The AIDAprima is scheduled to commence its first regular cruise from Hamburg on 30 April 2016, including port stops in Rotterdam (Netherlands), Zeebrugge (Belgium), Le Havre (France) and Southampton (UK).

Construction of the second of the two ships will now be streamlined, leveraging the knowledge gained from building the AIDAprima.

Shunichi Miyanaga, MHI President and CEO, said: "We are proud to deliver AIDAprima, the first of a new generation of energy-efficient cruise ships superbly equipped to provide a fantastic cruising experience. Given the cutting-edge nature of the ship, construction was challenging but ultimately we built a cruise ship of the very highest quality, offering superior comfort and entertainment features for passengers. It provided us with many key learnings to enable a smoother construction process for future vessels - starting with AIDAprima's sister ship."

Edited from press release by Callum O'Reilly

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