Whereas "AIDAprima" and "AIDAperal" received only small quantities of LNG for port operations exclusively by truck, the new one of its kind "AIDAnova" is equipped with 3000 m3 LNG tank capacity for full LNG operation. Instead of truck bunkering, a dedicated bunker vessel has to supply the LNG to the cruise vessel. The first LNG ship-to-ship refuelling by "Coral Methane" from Antony Veder (NL) to "AIDAnova" took place in the port of Tenerife in January 2019. The combined ethylene/LNG carrier "Coral Methane", equipped with cargo handling and LNG fuel gas systems from TGE-Marine, launched in 2009. The 4-stroke gas engines oft he vessel, require an NG supply pressure of 6 barg only. Hence, well known equipment from gas carrier business was used. In autumn 2018 the conversion to a LNG bunker vessel took place. Now "Coral Methane" is solely used as bunker vessel for many different kinds of ships with LNG as fuel.
In the meantime, the bunker ship "Cardissa" from Shell, which was delivered in 2017 with a TGE tank, loading and bunker system, is also used for the AIDA fleet. Both ships will, of course, continue to be used for bunkering the increasing number of LNG-powered ships in the future.
