AIDA Cruises, the leader in the German cruise industry, was honored with the prestigious ESG Shipping Award International 2024 last Monday, May 20, in Athens/Greece. In the “Technology Leader” category, the company received a Gold recognition for the installation of the largest battery energy storage system (BESS) in passenger shipping with a capacity of 10 megawatt hours on board AIDAprima.

The ESG Shipping Awards, presented in 10 categories, recognize the efforts and achievements of companies in the shipping industry worldwide that demonstrate exceptional commitment to sustainability and responsible business practices.

“We are honored to receive this prestigious ESG Shipping Award as a technology leader. The award is not just an affirmation but also a motivation to continue our efforts to actively contribute to a more sustainable maritime industry. At AIDA Cruises, we believe that technological innovations play an important role in reducing greenhouse gases. That’s why we are investing in such lighthouse projects like the retrofit of the state-of-the-art battery technology on board AIDAprima.Our ambition is clear: net zero emission from our ship operations. Along that way we will continue to join forces with all those who share our goals and are actively supporting the climate goals of the EU, the IMO and the Paris Agreement with investment and innovation,” says Felix Eichhorn, President of AIDA Cruises.

Next-Generation Battery Storage System

Using battery power will have an impact on the marine industry and is just one more example of AIDA’s important efforts to reduce GHC. Installed in 2022 and extensively tested in 2023, the lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) on AIDAprima has a capacity of 10 megawatt-hours and is the largest of its kind in passenger shipping. It can be used to supply energy during various ship maneuvers at sea, during docking and casting off or while the ship is in port. This innovative technology enables the ship as well to operate in a zero-emission mode for limited time periods.

The batteries can be recharged during operation at sea, and the surplus energy stored in the batteries can be used during high loads (“peak-shaving”) to allow the engines on board to operate in a consistently optimal power range. At port, the battery storage system can be recharged using shore power technology.

The project was realized in close collaboration with Corvus Energy and included the production of 1,760 individual battery modules.