Copenhagen relies on shore power: AIDAnova is the first cruise ship to be connected to the grid
On June 2, 2025, H.M. King Frederik X of Denmark, in the presence of the EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen, and the Danish Minister for Transport, Thomas Danielsen, inaugurated the new shore power plant at the Cruise Terminal Oceankaj in Copenhagen. As part of the ceremony, AIDAnova became the first cruise ship to be supplied with energy from shore during its laytime. This makes Copenhagen the 14th cruise port in Europe where AIDA ships use shore power. With 73 calls by five AIDA ships in 2025, Copenhagen is one of the most important cruise ports in Northern Europe for AIDA Cruises.
"The inauguration of the shore power plant in Copenhagen is an important step towards the further implementation of the maritime energy transition in Northern Europe. Our Danish partners and AIDA are united by the consistent will to drive forward the expansion and use of a port infrastructure that reduces environmental impacts,” said Felix Eichhorn, President AIDA Cruises, on the opening ceremony in Copenhagen. "We have once again proven that we stand by the word we gave to our Cruise Baltic partners here in Copenhagen 2022. By investing in the use of this advanced technology, we are actively supporting the European Union's goals of building a shore-side power infrastructure in all major EU ports by 2030."
“The inauguration of the cruise shore power facility in Copenhagen is a proud moment for Copenhagen Malmö Port and a key milestone in the green transition of the sector. We are excited to begin operating this facility and to provide shipping lines like AIDA Cruises with clean energy while at berth. This initiative is fully aligned with our broader sustainability strategy, which includes fossil-free terminal operations and our ambition to reach net-zero CO₂ emissions by 2025. Together with our partners, we are committed to shaping a more sustainable future for the maritime industry”, said Barbara Scheel Agersnap, CEO at Copenhagen Malmö Port.
As a pilot partner, AIDA Cruises was closely involved in the technical preparations in Copenhagen and provided a ship, AIDAnova, for the necessary tests. The company's many years of experience with the use of shore power in other European ports, such as Hamburg, Kiel, Warnemünde, Oslo, Southampton, Rotterdam and Stockholm, were actively incorporated into the implementation. The new facility in Copenhagen brings the number of ports where AIDA ships can use shore power to 14 in seven European countries.
In 2024, AIDA Cruises used shore power during 360 port calls - a fivefold increase compared to the previous year. Thanks to the opening of new facilities, over 500 port calls with shore power are planned for 2025. This means that AIDA ships will be able to switch off their main engines and switch to shore-side power for almost every second port call in Northern Europe.
In addition to the use of shore power, the company is investing in various alternative energy sources such as batteries and biofuels. As part of Carnival Corporation & plc, AIDA Cruises is striving for net-zero emissions in ship operations by 2050.
About AIDA Cruises:
AIDA Cruises, the market leader for cruises in Germany, is part of Carnival Corporation & plc, a tourism company with eight of the world's leading cruise lines. AIDA Cruises itself is the third largest German tour operator, the best-known cruise brand and one of the most successful tourism companies in Germany.
The company employs 18,000 people from 60 countries. With around 1,200 employees at its headquarters in Rostock, the cruise line is the largest private employer in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. A further 400 employees work at the Hamburg site. The fleet of currently eleven ships is one of the most innovative cruise fleets in the world.
Rostock, June 3, 2025