COSTA CRUISES: FIRST LNG REFUELING FOR A CRUISE SHIP IN DUBAI

During its winter cruise season in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) , Costa Smeralda, flagship of the Costa fleet, completed its liquefied natural gas (LNG) refueling in Dubai. The operation marks the first-ever LNG refueling for a cruise ship at the port of Dubai.

Genoa, January 8, 2025 – On Saturday, January 4, Costa Smeralda, flagship of the Costa fleet and sister ship of Costa Toscana, successfully completed its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) refueling at the port of Dubai. This historic LNG refueling operation, the first for a cruise ship in Dubai, was made possible thanks to the logistics provider Monjasa and the collaboration of the Dubai Port Authority.

The tanker ship Green Zeebrugge filled Costa Smeralda’s three tanks with approximately 3,000 cubic meters of LNG. All tanks are constructed from cryogenic steel, a highly insulating material that maintains the constant temperature of -155°C required to keep LNG in liquid form and enable its use to power the ship's engines. With a full tank, Costa Smeralda can be powered for at least two and a half weeks.

The use of LNG in the cruise industry is currently the most advanced and readily available solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while the development of zero-emission fuels for maritime use is underway. LNG is considered one of the cleanest fossil fuels, as it reduces direct CO? emissions by up to 20% and nearly eliminates nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxide, and particulate emissions. LNG represents a step forward in the effort to achieve net-zero ship emissions by 2050. Additionally, LNG offers a technological foundation for future sustainable fuels such as bio-LNG (biomethane) and other renewable solutions as they become available.

Costa Smeralda also features a range of sustainability innovations. Its entire daily freshwater needs are met by desalinating seawater using onboard desalination plants. Energy consumption is minimized through an intelligent energy efficiency system that optimizes and converts resources to improve onboard energy-saving technologies, achieving an average fuel savings of 5-6% per ship. The ship ensures 100% waste separation and recycling of materials such as plastic, paper, glass, and aluminum, as part of an integrated approach to supporting circular economy projects.

"Costa, part of Carnival Corporation , is committed to being a leader in sustainable cruising. After being the first to introduce LNG to cruises, together with our sister company AIDA Cruises , we are now the first cruise line to use this technology in Dubai," stated Giuseppe Carino , Sea-Land Experience Operations Senior Vice President. "In line with this commitment, we are developing shore power technology across our fleet; additionally, we are also working on biofuels, new technologies, and alternative fuels."

Costa Smeralda arrived in Dubai on December 21, following a repositioning cruise that circumnavigated Africa, starting in the Mediterranean. Until the end of February 2025, the ship will be operating its winter season in the United Arab Emirates, offering week-long cruises from Dubai with an itinerary that includes stops in Muscat (Oman), Doha (Qatar), and Abu Dhabi.

On March 1, 2025, Costa Smeralda will depart from Dubai to return to the Mediterranean on a 37-day cruise, with stops in Oman, Mauritius, South Africa, Namibia, the Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, Corsica (France), and a final arrival in Genoa scheduled for April 7, 2025. Cruises to the Emirates and from the Emirates to the Mediterranean aboard Costa Smeralda are now open for booking.