Costa Smeralda, flagship of the Costa fleet and sistership to Costa Toscana, successfully completed her first liquefied natural gas (LNG) refuelling in the port of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
This is the first time for a Liquified Natural Gas refuel operation to a cruise ship ever conducted at Dubai port, which was made possible thanks to Monjasa, the logistics provider, and the cooperation of the Dubai Port Authority.
The “Green Zeebrugge” tanker ship filled Costa Smeralda's three tanks with a total of around 3,000 cubic meters (105,944 cubic feet) of LNG. All three are installed in specific protected spaces and built with cryogenic steel, a specially insulated material designed to maintain a constant temperature of minus 155 degrees to cool the LNG to its liquid state for use to power the ship’s engines. With one complete LNG tank filling, Costa Smeralda can be powered for at least two-and-a-half weeks.
The use of LNG in the cruise sector is currently the best readily available fuel to deliver immediate GHG emission reductions in the absence of market-ready zero-emission fuels for the maritime industry. LNG is considered among the cleanest fossil fuels because – in addition to reducing direct carbon emissions by up to 20% – it almost totally avoids emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxide and particulate matter. LNG provides a viable step along the pathway to net-zero emissions from ship operations by 2050. It offers a roadmap to future fuels and propulsion technologies like bio LNG (biomethane) and other renewable fuels when they become available.
Moreover, Costa Smeralda presents a number of additional sustainability innovations. The entire daily supply of fresh water for the ship is met by transforming sea water using desalinators. Energy consumption is minimized an intelligent energy efficiency system based on optimization and conversion of resources to improve onboard energy-saving technologies that deliver an average of 5% to 6% fuel savings per ship, 100% separate waste collection and recycling of materials such as plastic, paper, glass and aluminum are carried out on board, which are part of an integrated approach aimed at implementing circular economy projects.
“Costa, as part of Carnival Corporation, is committed to leading the way in sustainable cruising. After being the first to introduce LNG in cruises, together with our sister brand AIDA Cruises, we are now also the first cruise line to use this technology in Dubai,” stated Giuseppe Carino, Sea-Land Experience Operations Senior Vice President. “On this direction, we are also developing the shore power technology on our fleet, and working on biofuels, new technologies and alternative fuels.”
Costa Smeralda reached Dubai on Dec. 21, 2024, after her positioning cruise circumnavigating Africa from the Mediterranean. Until the end of February 2025, the ship will be on her winter season in the Emirates offering weeklong cruises from Dubai with an itinerary exploring Muscat, Oman; Doha, Qatar; and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
On March 1, 2025, Costa Smeralda will depart from Dubai and return to the Mediterranean on a 37-day long cruise with planned calls in Oman, Mauritius, South Africa, Namibia, Canary Island, Morocco, Spain, France (Corsica) and arrival in Genoa, Italy, scheduled on April 7, 2025. Cruises towards Emirates and from Emirates to the Med with Costa Smeralda are available for booking.
