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AIDAperla to Get Battery System in 2020

AIDAPerla
AIDAPerla

Published Sep 10, 2019 8:36 PM by The Maritime Executive

The cruise ship AIDAperla will have a battery pack capable of generating 10MWh installed in 2020. It will be the largest battery storage system to be installed on a passenger ship and the first for a ship from Corvus Energy's new production facility in Norway.

The battery systems can be charged with shore power and during sea operation (peak load shaving). In addition to pure battery operation, the systems may also contribute for an extended period of time, e.g. during port mooring or during ship maneuvers. 

AIDAperla, sister ship to AIDAPrima, was delivered by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 2017. The 125,000 gross ton vessel has a length of 300 meters, breadth of 37.6 meters and a maximum draft of 8.2 meters. Her power system includes three Caterpillar M 43 C diesel units and a Caterpillar M 46 DF dual-fuel marine engine. She has two ABB Azipod thrusters and is equiped with  Mitsubishi's air lubrication system.

The technology is anticipated to be rolled out to other AIDA and Costa cruise ships. Previously, AIDA Cruises had pioneered the use of LNG as fuel on cruise ships with the launch of AIDANova, and, by 2023, two more AIDA LNG vessels will be put into service.

12 of AIDA's 14 cruise ships will be fitted for shore power over the next few years. Since 2017, AIDAsol has been using the shore power plant in Hamburg-Altona in regular operation.

As part of its "Green Cruising Strategy", AIDA is also exploring the possibilities of CO2-free production of LNG from renewable sources or the use of fuel cells in cruise shipping.

Carnival Corporation has 10 next-generation LNG cruise ships on order, including Costa Smeralda, which will be the second of the corporation's ships to be powered by LNG when it joins the Costa Cruises fleet in October. 

Corvus Energy's new battery factory in Bergen will supply the company's largest market, the growing European market. The factory comprises a robotized and digitized production line with nine robotic stations and a capacity of up to 400 megawatt hours (MWh) per year. From unpacking incoming parts to testing the finished battery module, the entire factory is completely automated. The company's Vancouver facility will continue to supply North American and Asian markets, where demand for hybrid and zero-emission solutions is emerging and expected to grow rapidly.