The German Institute for Quality Assurance and Labelling (RAL gGmbH) certified the latest newbuild of the German shipping company AIDA Cruises (the first cruise liner ever to receive this award) as environmentally friendly to a special degree and handed over the official deeds in cooperation with the German Environmental Agency to the shipping company’s representatives in Rostock. The “AIDAnova” was awarded the “Blue Angel” for environmentally friendly ship design.
The German Shipowners’ Association (Verband Deutscher Reeder, VDR) had provided personnel to support and closely monitor the process. Ralf Nagel, Chief Executive Officer of the German Shipowners’ Association: “German shipowners are pioneers in this immensely important field. Awarding the ‘Blue Angel’ to the AIDAnova bears compelling testimony to the huge efforts made by the shipping sector, in particular in passenger shipping, to protect the oceans and our environment even beyond the scope of applicable regulations wherever this is technically possible and economically feasible.”
Hansjörg Kunze, Vice President Communication & Sustainability at AIDA Cruises, thanked the German Shipowners’ Association: “The VDR gave us sustained support with the certification process. The Association arranged for us to receive highly professional consultancy services in order to bring this project to a successful conclusion."
AIDA Cruises had taken delivery of the “AIDAnova”, the world’s first LNG cruise liner, from the Meyer shipyard in Papenburg in December last year. This makes it the tenth ship to be awarded the German ecolabel to show that it is more environmentally friendly than the standard. Previously, among others two ferries operated by the company AG Reederei Norden-Frisia, an LNG passenger ferry run by AG EMS, an LNG passenger vessel of CASSEN EILS Reederei, three passenger ferries placed in service by Wyker Dampfschiffs Reederei as well as two research vessels of Briese Schifffahrts GmbH had been awarded the “Blue Angel” ecolabel.
Please read the current press releases on this subject by the German Environmental Agency and by AIDA Cruises available here (only in German) and here, respectively.
