AIDA opens modernised fleet operations center in Hamburg

It took six months to modernise the 250 sq. m. facility located in the heart of HafenCity. The FOC collects data 24/7 from 31 cruise vessels – 11 AIDA and 20 ships belonging to Carnival Corporation’s European cruise brands.

The FOC is part of Carnival Maritime, which was established in 2015 as a maritime service unit for AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises.

Updated equipment

Experiences gleaned since AIDA established its first FOC in 2012 helped to shape the new facility. Based on this, the entire hardware and software technology was upgraded, and it was expanded to allow more space. 

Fully digital ship monitoring technology and algorithms capture speed, weather, and navigation data, as well as various technical data from the ships' engine rooms, via satellites in near real-time. This enables the ship crews to better plan and optimise fuel and energy consumption, routes, water management, and various logistics processes in the more than 250 ports worldwide where AIDA operates. As a result, fuel consumption and the ships' emissions are significantly reduced. 

An 18-meter-wide and nearly 1.5-meter-high video wall shows all relevant information such as weather, planned routes, radar images, protected zones, and current energy consumption can be displayed at the click of a mouse. 

Live video footage of the actual weather conditions from the ports provides additional perspectives.

A new ‘Tactical Table’ and ‘Part Task Simulator’ enable digital simulations for upcoming maneuvers or new routes. For example, a port entry in the condition of strong winds can be simulated. The ship simulator has 150 port entries in its program. The cruise ships' bridge can be added at any time. 

The open concept design moreover promotes collaboration between different departments, including technical, nautical, port, guest operations, and environmental teams.

Launch event

A ceremony was held to mark the FOC’s opening, attended by Felix Eichhorn, president, AIDA Cruises and Keith Dowds, EVP, Carnival Maritime. Eichhorn said, ‘Our fleet operations center is unique of its kind in Germany. With our extensive investments in new hardware and state-of-the-art software tailored to our specific maritime needs, we are setting new standards in the cruise industry. 

‘The FOC team is available to our captains and officers around the clock, providing support with nautical and technical aspects. 

‘At the same time, this is a clear investment and a strong commitment to Hamburg as an important international maritime competence center.’ 

High-ranking political and business representatives also joined the festivities, including Dieter Janecek, federal government coordinator for the maritime industry and tourism for the ministry of economic affairs and climate action, and Dr. Melanie Leonhard, Hamburg’s senator for economy and innovation. 

Safety and efficiency 

At four operation desks, an international team of 12 nautically trained superintendents – many holding a captain’s licence – support the smooth operation of the ships 365 days a year. They analyze, support, provide additional information, offer assistance, and organize solutions for changing weather conditions. 

Leonhard said, ‘Hamburg is one of the most popular cruise destinations in Europe and is also an important hub for the maritime industry. The fleet operations centre is therefore ideally located here in Hamburg… As an important control center, the FOC contributes to making cruises worldwide safer, efficient and sustainable.’

Protecting marine ecosystems 

A specially developed software helps to continuously improve environmental management in the interest of protecting sensitive marine ecosystems as effectively as possible. With a global digital environmental sea map installed on all ships, the FOC monitors more than 500 international and national environmental special zones, port regulations, and the company's own guidelines worldwide. ‘Compliance with environmental regulations is our top priority,’ Eichhorn said. ‘The previous manual approach became increasingly complex and labor-intensive, especially as new regulations were introduced worldwide. With our proprietary software solution, these tasks are automated and optimized, allowing us to effectively address future challenges.’ 

Technical control and analysis, combined with best-practice experiences, offer numerous approaches to developing innovative environmental and resource conservation projects — for example, in freshwater supply, wastewater treatment, and recycling and waste management.