Saturday 23 October 2021
Start in reverse
New ocean liner sets course for oceans
From the narrow Ems out to the oceans: the new cruise ship “Aidacosma” has passed the river in the direction of the North Sea. The ocean liner is scheduled to reach the Netherlands today. It is the second overpass this year for Meyer-Werft.
The newly built cruise ship “Aidacosma” has mastered the most difficult part of its transfer from the Meyer shipyard to the North Sea. The ocean giant covered the 40-kilometer stretch on the narrow Ems, including the passage of the Ems barrier near Gandersum, a little faster than planned, as a shipyard spokesman said.
The water level was good and the wind died down after stormy days. The 337 meter long ship had started its towing trip in Papenburg that morning. During the voyage across the Ems, the “Aidacosma” – as always with these spectacular overpasses – was towed backwards because it was easier to maneuver. Onlookers gathered in the dark on the dike to marvel at the brightly illuminated ocean liner. The overpasses always attract many ship fans. Environmentalists criticize, however, that the damming of the Ems is damaging the river and its banks.
The first destination of the “Aidacosma” is Eemshaven in the Netherlands, which is scheduled to be reached today. The first test voyage on the North Sea towards Norway is planned from there at the beginning of November, and the ship is to be handed over to the shipping company at the end of the year. “We are very happy that our new cruise ship has successfully mastered its first voyage on the Ems,” said Hansjörg Kunze, spokesman for the Aida Cruises shipping company in Rostock. It is the second new build from Aida Cruises to run entirely on LPG. Liquid gas is considered to be a more environmentally friendly drive than diesel or heavy oil.
It is the second overpass this year for Meyer-Werft. Germany’s largest shipbuilding company has had to reduce its construction speed because new ships are hardly in demand due to the extensive standstill of the cruise industry due to the corona pandemic. The crisis has also cost several hundred jobs.