AIDA Cruises is completing the most successful year in its history, according to Michael Thamm, president of the Germany-based and focused cruise line.

A total of 511,400 guests travelled on the seven AIDA ships, corresponding to 97,400 more passengers than in the previous year. Total sales revenues rose to 882.7 million Euro, compared to 722.1 million Euro in its fiscal year of 2009.

Thamm also claims that AIDA is more fuel efficient than the cruise industry average by some 40 percent. 

“The reduction of fuel consumption plays an important part in the development of our new ships,” he said in a prepared statement. “The best ton of fuel is the one we save.”

Even now, the AIDA fleet consumes around 40 percent less than the average for the cruise industry. And this is still only an interim step, Tah according to Thamm:

“Our objective is the Zero Emission Ship. We want to be the first in the world to have a fuel cell on board”. This is also one of the reasons for taking part in the Federal Government’s e4ships project.”

The company is also looking at using liquefied gas (LNG) as a fuel. AIDA’s ships are also “prepared” for the use of shore power where this is provided in the ports.